Schmelzer sidelined for Dortmund quarter-final
Thursday, March 20, 2014
Article summary
Left-back Marcel Schmelzer will miss both legs of Borussia Dortmund's quarter-final because of a groin injury sustained in the second half of their 2-1 home loss to FC Zenit.
Article top media content
Article body
Borussia Dortmund left-back Marcel Schmelzer has been ruled out for a month with a groin problem and will play no part in either leg of the Schwarzgelben's UEFA Champions League quarter-final.
The 26-year-old sustained the injury on Wednesday in the second half of the Bundesliga team's 2-1 round of 16 second-leg loss to FC Zenit. Schmelzer, who had set up Dortmund's equaliser, was replaced 13 minutes from time by Eric Durm.
According to a statement on the Dortmund website, the German international "suffered a torn groin muscle" and will miss up to five domestic matches in addition to their European tie, which takes place on 1/2 and 8/9 April. "I got tripped in a tackle and felt pain in both groins," he said.
Dortmund, already without long-term injury victims Jakub Błaszczykowski (knee), Neven Subotić (knee) and Sven Bender (groin), will discover their quarter-final opponents when the draw is made in Nyon from 12.00CET on Friday.
