Borussia Dortmund have been dealt a massive blow ahead of this weekend's clash with table-toppers Bayern Munich. Jurgen Klopp will need to put together a makeshift defense after losing Mats Hummels and Marcel Schmelzer to injuries during the international break. Hummels is out through the winter break, while Schmelzer will miss around three weeks and could return in December.
Borussia Dortmund without defenders Mats Hummels, Marcel Schmelzer for Bayern Munich clash
Dortmund limps into this weekend’s battle between the Bundesliga’s two best teams after Marcel Schmelzer and Mats Hummels picked up injuries on international duty.
Sascha Steinbach
Previously, Dortmund lost starting central defender Neven Subotic for the season with torn knee ligaments.
Dortmund have plenty of attacking and midfield depth, but they’re lacking in bodies in central defense. In the absence of Hummels and Subotic, they’re going to need to go to their fourth central defender, whoever that may be. It’s been a couple of years since anyone but those two, departed backup Felipe Santana and current primary backup Sokratis Papastathopoulos has played in defense for Der BVB.
Koray Günter, a 19-year-old Germany Under-19 international, is the more experienced of the two natural central defenders remaining in the squad, though 18-year-old Marian Sarr has the more impressive pedigree. Either could start, but more likely than not, midfielder Sven Bender will move into defense. Kevin Grosskreutz is likely to start at left back for Schmelzer.
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