Borussia Dortmund are waiting on the fitness of Marco Reus and Mats Hummels for their Champions League quarter-final, home leg against Manchester City on Wednesday with England winger Jadon Sancho definitely ruled out.
Dortmund need to overturn last week’s 2-1 first-leg defeat in Manchester when Reus equalised for the Germans before Phil Foden’s 90th-minute winner for City.
Reus limped out of Saturday’s 3-2 win at Stuttgart, after the attacking midfielder scored for the second match in a row, while centre-back Hummels did not come out for the second half after feeling unwell.
Dortmund coach Edin Terzic said a decision on the pair will be made after seeing how they react in training.
Terzic confirmed the second leg has come too soon for Sancho who is working his way back to fitness from a leg injury.
Dortmund defender Manuel Akanji stressed the importance of Reus to the German club’s cause.
“It would be a big loss, he is our captain and played very well recently, scoring two goals,” Akanji said Tuesday.
“He knows what it takes to make it through to the next round.”
Terzic said Dortmund need “a mix of courage and patience” against City, who are bidding to reach the semi-finals after exiting in the quarters in each of the last four seasons.
Rumours persist that Dortmund could lose 20-year-old striker Erling Braut Haaland to a big-money offer this summer.
Dortmund have made it clear they do not want to sell Haaland, who reportedly has a release clause in his contract for 75 million euros ($89 million) from 2022.
“As a coach, it’s my job to get the best out of him, not to put a price tag on him,” Terzic replied when asked what it would cost to keep Haaland.
“I have to get the best out of the team and want to advance to the next round.”
