(Reuters) – Right-back Julian Ryerson is likely to miss Borussia Dortmund’s German Cup fixture at VfL Wolfsburg, while Marcel Sabitzer and Waldemar Anton are in a race against time to be fit for Tuesday’s match, Dortmund coach Nuri Sahin said on Monday.
The three players were injured during Saturday’s 2-1 loss at Augsburg in the Bundesliga, with Dortmund succumbing to their second loss in the week after giving away a two-goal lead to lose 5-2 at Real Madrid in the Champions League.
“I don’t have high hopes for Julian Ryerson,” Sahin told reporters. “With Sabi and Waldi, every hour counts. It will only become clear towards kick-off whether they can play.”
Injuries are an additional concern for Sahin apart from his team’s lack of consistency, with seventh-placed Dortmund losing three of their last five league matches to fall seven points below leaders Bayern Munich.
“The goals we’re conceding for the effort we’re putting in are extreme. That can’t happen to us. We’re conceding goals too easily by making mistakes,” said Sahin.
The 36-year-old, who called for unity to get through tough times after Saturday’s loss, insisted that his players have the desire to turn things around.
“At the moment, we have so many issues of our own that it doesn’t feel so easy,” Sahin added.
(Reporting by Chiranjit Ojha in Bengaluru)
