Dortmund's Gross and Beier doubtful for Hoffenheim clash, says coach
FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - Champions League - Round of 16 - Second Leg - Lille v Borussia Dortmund - Decathlon Arena Stade Pierre-Mauroy, Villeneuve-d'Ascq, France - March 12, 2025 Borussia Dortmund's Maximilian Beier celebrates scoring their second goal with Pascal Gross REUTERS/Stephanie Lecocq/File Photo
Borussia Dortmund will likely be without the injured Pascal Gross and Maximilian Beier when they travel to Hoffenheim in the Bundesliga on Saturday, coach Niko Kovac said on Thursday.
Dortmund, in seventh place with four games left to play, are desperate for a top-four finish to secure a Champions League spot for next season.
They have won three of their last four league matches and drew against Bayern Munich, as they battle to make up for lost ground earlier in the season.
"Gross has knee ligament problems," Kovac told a press conference in Dortmund. "I still have some hope but honestly I don't think he will make it.
"Maxi is a similar case. He did not train. He can walk but running is painful but I also have not yet given up. But obviously we will not take any risks."
Both players were injured in last week's 3-2 win over Borussia Moenchengladbach but are not expected to be out too long.
Dortmund are on 45 points in seventh place. Eintracht Frankfurt, third with 52, host fourth-placed RB Leipzig (49) on Saturday. Freiburg (48) are fifth and visit Wolfsburg, while Mainz 05, who travel to Bayern Munich, are sixth with 47.
"The finish is approaching. The feeling I get is during this crunch time everyone player wants to be there, to go beyond any pain," Kovac said.
"I am happy that the lads recognise the situation. Everyone can read the standings. Everyone knows what is at stake and everyone has to increase their focus," he added.
"It does not matter thinking what can happen on May 17 (season finale). We have to keep doing our homework and focus only on the next game. We cannot look at the teams in front of us. We just have to keep winning to put pressure on them." REUTERS
Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Straits Times
24 minutes ago
- Straits Times
Zverev reaches seventh French Open quarters after Griekspoor retires
Tennis - French Open - Roland Garros, Paris, France - June 2, 2025 Germany's Alexander Zverev in action during his fourth round match against Netherlands' Tallon Griekspoor REUTERS/Lisi Niesner PARIS - Third seed Alexander Zverev advanced to the French Open quarter-finals after his opponent Tallon Griekspoor retired midway through the second set on Monday. The Dutchman was 6-4 3-0 down when he called for the medic and after a very brief discussion the umpire announced his retirement. It was not immediately clear what kind of injury Griekspoor had suffered. He broke the German early in the match but was broken back twice as Zverev, seeking his maiden Grand Slam title, landed the first set. The 28-year-old Zverev, a finalist in Paris last year who has now reached his seventh French Open quarter-final in the last eight years, earned two consecutive breaks at the start of the second set to go 3-0 up before Griekspoor called it a day. Zverev will play either Briton Cameron Norrie or three-times champion Novak Djokovic, who play later on Monday, in the last eight. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Straits Times
an hour ago
- Straits Times
Teenager Andreeva downs Kasatkina to reach French Open quarters
Tennis - French Open - Roland Garros, Paris, France - June 2, 2025 Australia's Daria Kasatkina in action during her fourth round match against Russia's Mirra Andreeva REUTERS/Lisi Niesner Tennis - French Open - Roland Garros, Paris, France - June 2, 2025 Russia's Mirra Andreeva in action during her fourth round match against Australia's Daria Kasatkina REUTERS/Lisi Niesner PARIS - Mirra Andreeva became the youngest player to reach back-to-back French Open quarter-finals in nearly three decades after the gifted Russian teenager overcame Australian 17th seed Daria Kasatkina 6-3 7-5 on Monday. The powerful 18-year-old has scythed through the women's field at Roland Garros without dropping a set and her fourth-round victory on a sunbathed Court Suzanne Lenglen helped her match the feat of Swiss Martina Hingis between 1997 and 1998. "Honestly, I'm so happy I won. I hate playing against her, we practise a lot and even that is a torture," Andreeva said with a smile in her on-court interview. "It was a hell of a match. I'm super happy I stayed calm in the second set when she raised her level ... I had to fight and continue playing my game. "I knew if I believed in myself I would win a third set." Andreeva came up with a tight hold to thwart her frequent practice partner in the seventh game and grabbed the break in the next game when Kasatkina sent a backhand long. Russian-born Kasatkina, who switched nationalities this year, beat Andreeva in three sets when they met in last year's Ningbo final and the 28-year-old showcased her fighting spirit in the next set to recover a break and lead 5-3. "My coach (Conchita Martinez) says you've got to practise with the people you don't like. That's why I practise with her because I hate her," Andreeva joked. "I knew this match would be tough." Sixth seed Andreeva broke back and defended valiantly to level at 5-5, before edging ahead again to close out the victory and book a meeting with either French wildcard Lois Boisson or American third seed Jessica Pegula. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Straits Times
an hour ago
- Straits Times
Sarri returns as Lazio coach, Adnkronos reports
Maurizio Sarri has returned to Lazio as head coach a year after he resigned from the position, Italian news agency Adnkronos reported on Monday quoting the Serie A club's sporting director Angelo Fabiani. Former Chelsea and Juventus manager Sarri has re-joined Lazio on a two-year contract with an option for a third season, the report said. Lazio did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Sarri resigned as Lazio coach in March 2024, almost three years into his tenure. They finished seventh in the Italian league in 2023-24, having finished second the previous season. Lazio finished seventh again this season under Marco Baroni. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
