BVB paid dearly for the victory in Stuttgart. With Malen, Reyna, Dahoud, Hummels and Guerreiro, another five professionals joined Borussia Dortmund’s list of injuries. Because of the multitude of muscle problems, the club is puzzled.
Es were less than two minutes played when Giovanni Reyna took a long step in the sprint – and grabbed his thigh. Shortly thereafter, the American, who had only just recovered from the effects of a thigh injury at the beginning of March, had to be substituted in the game at VfB Stuttgart. The BVB offensive player left the pitch with tears in his eyes. The picture of him going 2-0 (1-0) from Borussia Dortmund towards the cabin with his face distorted by pain affected him.
Reyna had already missed 29 competitive games this season. Now the offensive player threatens to fail again. “He’s fit and ready again,” said BVB coach Marco Rose and announced an investigation into Reyna’s injury for the weekend.
“It’s bitter for the boy,” says BVB coach Rose
The results will be analyzed with particular attention, as will the precise diagnoses made regarding the problems faced by Mats Hummels and Raphael Guerreiro. The defender and left-back also had to be replaced during the game – Hummels at half-time and Guerreiro in the 75th minute. Striker Donyell Malen had already had to pass before the game – also due to muscular problems. It’s a little different with Mahmoud Dahoud, who also had to be substituted after 36 minutes. The midfielder had apparently dislocated his shoulder in a duel.
Injured again: Dortmund’s Giovanni Reyna leaves the pitch in tears after just a few minutes in Stuttgart
What: dpa/dpa/Tom Weller
“It just annoys me for the boys,” said Marco Rose after the final whistle. Reyna’s failure again affected him in particular. “It’s incredibly bitter for the boy, he gets every support. We’ll get him healthy and stable again,” said the BVB coach.
The Dortmund team has been dealing with the problem of the large number of muscular injuries for months. Even during the winter break, BVB was the club with by far the most injuries of any Bundesliga team. Halfway through the season, Dortmund had already accumulated 1,715 days lost by their players – i.e. days on which BVB professionals were unable to train or play due to injuries. At the beginning of March, the 2000 mark was even exceeded.
BVB joy in Stuttgart: Julian Brandt scored two goals in the victory over VfB
Quelle: Getty Images/Matthias Hangst
The questions that come to mind are: Is it just bad luck or does it have structural causes? Are mistakes made in the training control or in the medical care?
Those responsible are puzzled. In any case, Sebastian Kehl, the designated sports director, announced an analysis. All of this must be “worked through properly,” he said. “You can believe me that we are extremely professional,” said Rose in Stuttgart. He couldn’t quite explain the injury misery.
Kehl and Rose look for a solution to the problem
Even before the game at VfB, the smoldering topic had threatened to take on a life of its own. There were discussions about the physiotherapist Thomas Zetzmann, who has been working for BVB for well over ten years. The club had announced that Zetzmann would leave at the end of the season. But this is for family reasons.
Speculations that Zetzmann was seen as a cause for the injury misery are “a farce”, said Rose. “He’s an excellent physio, a really great person, popular with the boys – and now he’s being linked to the injuries? no The trainer, the doctors, the athletic trainers come first. Then the physios come at some point. That’s why it’s important for me to make that clear again,” said Rose on Friday.
Rose and Kehl will work flat out to solve the problem – which keeps weakening the team. The relief was all the greater that we still managed to get three points in Stuttgart. Ironically, the decisive factor was Julian Brandt, who scored both goals. He had come on for Reyna.
