In the 2022/23 season, the bad luck with injuries is again a loyal companion of Borussia Dortmund. Although there is hope that some players will return to the pitch after the international break, the latest information from the German U21s is likely to put new lines of worry on the forehead of the BVB management team.
Youssoufa Moukoko is not available for tomorrow’s game of the German U21 team against England and will leave the DFB talents’ quarters in Sehffield in the course of the day in consultation with BVB. The DFB announced this on Monday.
Keeper Nico Mantl will also return to his club RB Salzburg on Monday, the message said. While Mantl explicitly states that he is leaving early due to illness, Moukoko’s “stricken” leaves room for speculation.
DFB coach Antonio Di Salvo shed some light on the matter and explained: “Youssoufa twisted his neck a bit and blocked it, so we don’t want to take any risks. This is a test match. In consultation with Edin Terzic, we therefore decided that we don’t take any risks”, in Dortmund one should keep one’s fingers crossed that it is actually only a precautionary measure.
BVB youngster puts together a double pack
The past should be warning enough: The 17-year-old, who has already scored two goals and conceded two goals in six Bundesliga games this season, has often struggled with injuries in his young career. In the past season alone, Moukoko missed 14 competitive games for Borussia.
In the meantime, a BVB talent that is following in Moukoko’s footsteps caused a stir in Germany’s U17 selection: Paris Brunner. The 16-year-old scored twice in the 3-1 win against Israel and has three goals after three appearances in the U17s.
On the other hand, Brunner’s result in BVB’s B juniors is unbelievable: in 2022/23 he has scored 16 goals in five games so far. A quota that is reminiscent of Moukoko, who pulverized all records in the youth field.