Keeper Gregor Kobel will also miss Borussia Dortmund against TSG Hoffenheim, coach Edin Terzic confirmed on Friday. But there is positive news from a long-term injury
The mission is clear, what else can Edin Terzic say. “We know that we have to get three points away from home again after two draws recently,” said the coach, setting the tone for the match against TSG Hoffenheim on Sunday. So far, the team has kept a clean sheet at home in 2024, winning both games against VfL Bochum (3:1) and SC Freiburg (3:0). However, Dortmund recently missed out on wins away from home at Heidenheim, Wolfsburg and Eindhoven.
Unbeaten in the new year, but without a win in three of the last four games; stronger offensively with 15 goals in seven games, but with repeated deficiencies in their play – despite a general upward trend, supporters are still not entirely convinced by their team’s performances. Against the stumbling visitors from Sinsheim, who are without a win in eight matches, the form arrow should point upwards again
Terzic does not want to overestimate TSG’s negative streak, however. “They were close to winning a few games, it was very balanced recently,” said the coach. BVB have already won twice this season, in Sinsheim and at home in the cup. But it’s not just the visitors’ basic formation that has changed. “Back then, they were still playing in a back three. In the meantime, they’ve adapted a few things and recently played with more of a back four. You can see that they were obviously not happy with how they started the new year.”
Nevertheless, he warns: “And yet they have extremely dangerous players, Maximilian Beier, Wout Weghorst, Ihlas Bebou, especially Andrej Kramaric. We’ve been warned.” The Croatian has already scored nine times against BVB – more than any other current Bundesliga professional
Personnel update at BVB: Kobel’s departure and good news
Gregor Kobel will have no chance of preventing another impact from the Hoffenheim man, with the game coming too soon for the Swiss. He picked up a knock in last weekend’s game at VfL Wolfsburg and had to pull out at short notice on Tuesday at PSV Eindhoven. He will be replaced by Alexander Meyer, who also showed no problems in the Champions League round of 16 in the Netherlands. “We know that we can rely on him 100 percent,” praised coach Edin Terzic.
Sebastien Haller is also missing, as is Felix Nmecha, but there was good news: the midfielder, who last played in mid-November due to hip problems, is set to return to team training at the start of next week. Niklas Süle is still questionable and “not yet at 100 percent” after his illness, says Terzic: “We have some residual hope there.” Karim Adeyemi returns to the squad instead. “He has used the whole week and no longer has any problems,” says Terzic. However, the winger is unlikely to be a candidate for 90 minutes: “His downtime was extremely long and he had a minor setback. He’s probably not yet a candidate for the starting eleven. “
