Knee injury to BVB professional
© Imago
Borussia Dortmund has to contest the rest of the season without Nico Schlotterbeck. On Monday, BVB announced that the central defender has suffered a meniscal tear in the left knee. The international took a position on Tuesday.
“Nico’s failure hits us very hard,” said BVB sports director Sebastian Kehl. “He is a very important part of our team and convinced this season with consistently good performances. We hope that he will quickly get fit again and get the maximum support from us on the way back.”
Update April 8, 9:25 p.m.: “It will be a long and challenging journey, but I am determined to do everything to become in top shape. During this time I will also withdraw from the public and social media to fully concentrate on my recovery-and above all because I need it for myself and no head,” said Schlotterbeck on Tuesday morning in an Instagram story. “Your support means a lot to me, and I am grateful to always have you by my side. Even if I am not on the pitch from now on, I know that I will come back more than before!”
Schlotterbeck was missing in the Bundesliga game against Freiburg (4: 1) on Saturday and also missed almost only then in the BVB defense when he was blocked or when he was put off in August and early February. In the first game in the new year against Leverkusen (2: 3), the international had also had to expose sick.
Trainer Niko Kovac recently left it open whether the recently injured defense colleague Niklas Süle can start again on Wednesday (9:00 p.m./DAZN) in the Champions League quarter-finals against FC Barcelona. The Dortmund as the only nominal central defender would only remain Waldemar Anton. In the game on Saturday in Freiburg, Anton, Ramy Bensebaini and Emre Can formed the defensive series of three.