Dortmund: Erling Haaland is
again an injury doubt for Dortmund before Saturday's game against RB Leipzig
with the hosts needing a win to stay in the Bundesliga title race and a
capacity crowd expected for the first time in two years.
With seven games left,
second-placed Dortmund need to end Leipzig's six match unbeaten run to keep
pace with runaway leaders Bayern Munich, who start the weekend six points
clear.
Haaland has only just returned
from a leg injury, but it is "very questionable" he will play on
Saturday due to an ankle knock after scoring twice in Norway's 9-0 rout of
Armenia on Tuesday.
"He's twisted his ankle,
the foot is swollen - fat and blue," said Dortmund coach Marco Rose.
Haaland has scored twice in
each of his three games for Dortmund against fourth-placed Leipzig, most
recently in last May's 4-1 German Cup final win.
For the first time since the
pandemic hit Europe, Dortmund expect a capacity crowd of 81,000 at Signal Iduna
Park.
"We can look forward to a
great atmosphere and want to use that to our advantage," said Rose.
Bayern were the last team to
beat Leipzig, who have handed out 6-1 thrashings to both Greuther Fuerth and
Hertha Berlin in recent weeks.
Leipzig head coach Domenico
Tedesco expects Haaland to play.
"We plan for it and he
will play - it's a top game, for them and us."
Bayern face a tricky away tie
Saturday at Freiburg with the visitors waiting on the fitness of their star
forward Robert Lewandowski.
He suffered a rib injury in
Tuesday's win over Sweden as Poland qualified for the World Cup.
"We have to see how the
rib reacts," Bayern coach Julian Nagelsmann said on Friday.
"I expect him to be in
the squad and play, but we won't take any risks," insisted Nagelsmann with
one eye on Wednesday's Champions League quarter-final, first leg at Villarreal.
Nagelsmann is set to be
without Joshua Kimmich, as his wife is due to give birth, and Eric Maxim
Choupo-Moting, who is sidelined by Covid.
However, Leon Goretkza could make his first appearance since December, while Niklas Suele is also fit again. (Agencies)
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