Borussia Dortmund’s Schlotterbeck sidelined with ankle injury

Borussia Dortmund centre-back Nico Schlotterbeck looks set to miss the final two games of the year with an ankle ligament tear, deepening the club’s injury crisis. 

Dortmund on Thursday announced Schlotterbeck had been diagnosed with a “ligament tear” in his ankle, saying a return before the new year was “questionable”.

The 25-year-old Germany international was stretchered off after falling awkwardly on his right foot at the end of Wednesday’s 3-2 home loss to Barcelona in the Champions League.

Schlotterbeck is the latest Dortmund player to be ruled out with injury, with the club’s defence particularly impacted. 

Fellow centre-backs Niklas Suele and Waldemar Anton, the club’s only other senior central defenders, are also out with injury, as are Julian Brandt and Maximilian Beier.

Dortmund coach Nuri Sahin said adding Schlotterbeck to the club’s injury list would be a “worst-case scenario”, admitting the images of his ankle bending at a 90-degree angle “looked terrible”.

Midfielder Emre Can was pushed back into in central defence against Barcelona alongside Schlotterbeck.

At the pre-match press conference on Tuesday, Sahin blamed the crowded fixture schedule for the injury woes. 

“The strain is almost unbearable, especially for international players. I don’t know when they are supposed to have a break.”

Dortmund, who sit sixth in the Bundesliga, face Hoffenheim on Sunday. Their final game of the year is on December 22 away to Wolfsburg.