German defender Felix Nmecha has been sidelined for several weeks due to a knee injury, dealing Borussia Dortmund a significant blow ahead of their final group-stage match in the Champions League.
The tournament’s previous runners-up will face Shakhtar Donetsk on Wednesday in their quest to improve their position in Europe’s elite competition. Interim coach Mike Tullberg confirmed Nmecha’s injury during the pre-match press conference.
Nmecha, 24, picked up the injury during Dortmund’s Bundesliga clash against Werder Bremen last Saturday, which ended in a 2-2 draw. The defender was forced off the field just 12 minutes into the game due to knee discomfort.
In the ongoing season, Nmecha has been a valuable contributor, scoring three goals and providing two assists in 27 appearances across all competitions.
Despite last season’s impressive run to the final, Dortmund have struggled in this year’s Champions League campaign. With four wins and three losses in seven matches, they sit in 14th place with 12 points.
Under the new Champions League format, the top eight teams at the end of the group stage will directly qualify for the Round of 16. Dortmund’s chances of achieving that are slim. However, they have secured a spot in the playoffs, where teams ranked 9th to 24th will compete in a two-legged tie for a place in the knockout rounds.
This challenging situation comes shortly after Dortmund parted ways with head coach Nuri Sahin, appointing Denmark’s Tullberg as interim manager to steady the ship.
