Dortmund midfielder Bellingham sidelined with knee pain ahead of key game
DORTMUND, Germany (AP) — Jude Bellingham is likely to miss a crucial game in Borussia Dortmund's challenge for the German title after knee pain ruled him out of training with the team this week, coach Edin Terzic said Friday.
The England midfielder felt pain in Dortmund's 5-2 win over Borussia Moenchengladbach last week and hasn't been in full training since. Terzic said there is “a big question mark” about whether he can play in Dortmund's game against Augsburg on Sunday.
Bayern Munich leads Dortmund by one point in the Bundesliga standings with two games to go. If Bayern beats Leipzig on Saturday, Bayern's big advantage on goal difference means Dortmund would realistically need a win to keep its title chances alive ahead of the final round of games next week.
The 19-year-old Bellingham has scored 14 goals in 42 games for Dortmund this season, including four in his team's last four Bundesliga games.
Bayern coach Thomas Tuchel is set to have Yann Sommer available to face Leipzig on Saturday after the Switzerland goalkeeper had a stomach bug this week. Sommer was signed in January as a stand-in for Manuel Neuer, who hasn't played since the World Cup after breaking his leg while skiing.
Tuchel said Bayern remains without injured left back Alphonso Davies and forward Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting, and that defender Lucas Hernández is not yet ready for a comeback after his long-term knee injury.
Tuchel wants his team to be alert for Leipzig counterattacks, highlighting the third-place team's strength in transition.
“It is extremely important, if we want to control the game, to watch out and to prevent the counterattacks before they happen,” Tuchel said.
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