In the face of the biggest game of the year, and facing a huge rival in the Champions League final on Saturday, it appears as though Borussia Dortmund will have to play without their best player.
Mario Götze has re-injured his hamstring in training this week and will not be able to play in the big game on Saturday. He was originally injured in the second leg of Borussia Dortmund’s semifinal victory over Real Madrid.
Götze, just 20 years old, has been the key catalyst in BVB’s offence this season from his attacking midfield position. Götze has 16 goals in 44 total appearances across all competitions, however it is his ability as a playmaker and offensive catalyst that will be missed most.
Adding intrigue is the fact that it has been confirmed that Götze will be joining Dortmund’s Champion’s League Final opponent after the game. Bayern Munich and BVB have agreed to a €37 million transfer fee, and this will take place once the transfer window opens for the summer. Götze will become the most expensive German player of all-time.
Dortmund, who go to Wembley Stadium seeking their second European Cup in club history, will face an uphill battle. In addition to missing Götze, they are also likely to be without central defender Mats Hummels for the big game, dealing the club major blows at both ends of the pitch. To top it all off, they are facing Bayern Munich who tore through the German Bundesliga this season, finishing a full 25 points clear of Dortmund. Bayern have also gone through the Champions League, most recently defeating Barcelona 7-0 on aggregate in the semi-final.
Dortmund have been no slouch in the Champions League and had their own rout over Real Madrid in the semi-finals. Even without two star players, anything can happen in a one-match winner-take-all scenario on a neutral site. Football fans the world over will be tuned in to see this highly anticipated match.
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Photo Credit: Steindy, Wiki Commons, CC
