Berlin (AFP) – Borussia Dortmund’s Julian Weigl added to the growing list of injured Germany players ruled out of next month’s Confederations Cup after fracturing his right ankle on Saturday.
The 21-year-old defensive midfielder was stretchered off after 22 minutes of Dortmund’s 1-1 draw at Augsburg in the Bundesliga.
German media reports claimed he would be out for the next three to four months — a bitter blow for Dortmund’s under-fire coach Thomas Tuchel.
“This is a loss we can’t compensate for one-to-one,” admitted Tuchel, who has left his future open for next season after a public disagreement with Dortmund’s CEO Hans-Joachim Watzke.
“When Julian plays in the middle, the ball goes from A to B half a second quicker than when he doesn’t play.
“That split second gives you the space to complete an attack and threaten your opponents.”
The midfielder will miss the German Cup final in Berlin on May 27 against Eintracht Frankfurt, plus their final Bundesliga match next Saturday at home to Werder Bremen.
“It will be difficult to find a solution for the two games,” admitted Tuchel.
Dortmund are third and chasing direct Champions League qualification for next season.
Weigl is also ruled out of the Confederations Cup for world champions Germany in Russia from June 17-July 2.
He joins Mario Goetze, Manuel Neuer and Benedikt Hoewedes, all sidelined by injury or illness, on Germany’s list of absentees.
Weigl’s Dortmund team-mate, winger Marco Reus, could also skip the tournament after several injuries this season.
Germany head coach Joachim Loew is set to name his squad for the competition on Wednesday.
Loew has said he will blood young talent and leave a host of first-choice players at home to rest before the 2018 World Cup.
