BERLIN (WS News) – Borussia Dortmund goalkeeper Gregor Kobel will miss Saturday’s league game against second-placed RB Leipzig, coach Nuri Sahin said on Friday, in the latest injury blow to the team.
Dortmund, who have dropped to seventh place following last week’s loss at Augsburg, are already without wingers Karim Adeyemi and Julien Duranville, midfielder Gio Reyna and defenders Niklas Suele, Julian Ryerson and Yan Couto among others.
Switzerland keeper Kobel was injured in Tuesday’s 1-0 German Cup second round loss to VfL Wolfsburg, Dortmund’s third defeat in a row across all competitions.
“Clearly it is a difficult situation with the defeats and the Cup exit, a competition we had high expectations for,” Sahin told a press conference.
“The injury list with this squad is extremely bitter. With Greg (Kobel) out now we have 10 players out.”
“Ten players injured. That’s something I have not experienced before. How do we get out of it? We won’t hide behind excuses. The lads are well prepared,” he said.
Dortmund, last year’s Champions League finalists, have struggled on the road in the Bundesliga failing to win any so far.
But Sahin, who is under mounting pressure in his first season in charge, is banking on their winning run at home to help them snap their losing streak.
Fans of Shohei Ohtani cheered for him back in his home country of Japan after he captured the first World Series title of his career as a member of the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Dortmund have won all four of their Bundesliga home games this season.
“We are well prepared and we play at home. And at home it is difficult to beat us,” Sahin said. “I know my role and the players know their roles. We have to go through this. We have to work our way out of this situation.”
“We need the stadium tomorrow more than ever. I’m sure the stadium will have a feel for our situation. We want to continue our home streak.”
