Marcel Schmelzer is the latest addition to Borussia Dortmund’s lengthy injury list, with the left-back set to miss four weeks of action after suffering a groin problem.
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Schmelzer, 26, limped off the pitch 15 minutes from time during Dortmund’s 2-1 Champions League last-16 second-leg defeat against Zenit St Peterburg on Wednesday.
Despite his side doing enough to qualify for the last eight of the competition, coach Juergen Klopp did not look too happy when asked about the Germany international in his postmatch news conference.
“I am not in a good mood today, because I don’t know what exactly happened to Schmelzer,” he said.
On Thursday, a MRT scan confirmed that the defender, who missed a major part of the first half of the season through injury, is set for a month out on the sidelines.
Schmelzer suffered a torn groin muscle and will miss out on an important few weeks, with the Champions League quarterfinal, the DFB-Pokal semifinal and decisive fixtures in the Bundesliga coming up.
Klopp may, however, be able to call on Marco Reus for the game at Hannover on Saturday, with the midfielder curently recovering from a muscle problem.
“It looked okay in the past few days,” Klopp said. “I’ll have to wait. When he is available, he is available.”
Meanwhile, Wednesday’s defeat to Zenit also revealed a rift between Dortmund’s players and supporters.
In the two recent home games against Borussia Moenchengladbach and Zenit, Dortmund fans have expressed their dissatisfaction whenever their own players have executed poor passes.
“You could leave here with a big smile, but it’s all gloom,” Dortmund captain Sebastian Kehl said after Wednesday’s match. “A home game should be a positive thing. You should not have the feeling that you have just committed a crime.”
Midfielder Kevin Grosskreutz added: “Those moans whenever we lose ball. I don’t like that. They can whistle after the match, but during the 90 minutes we need their support.”