Dortmund's Şahin to sit out Bundesliga run-in
Monday, April 18, 2011
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A knee injury will leave Bundesliga leaders Borussia Dortmund without influential Turkish international midfielder Nuri Şahin as they attempt to secure a first league title since 2002.
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Borussia Dortmund will be deprived of Nuri Şahin for the Bundesliga run-in after the Turkish international suffered a knee injury on Sunday.
The 22-year-old limped off 28 minutes into Dortmund's 3-0 home win against SC Freiburg, a result which moves them eight points clear at the top of the table with only four matches left. The midfielder has partially torn a ligament in his right knee and is expected to be sidelined for six weeks, with Dortmund saying in a statement: "Nuri will not play again this season."
Although his side are within touching distance of their first league title since 2002, coach Jürgen Klopp described the absence of Şahin – who has scored six goals in 30 Bundesliga appearances this term – as "a catastrophe". Şahin may, however, be fit for Turkey's crucial meeting with Belgium in UEFA EURO 2012 qualifying Group A in Brussels on 3 June.
