Borussia Dortmund midfielders Shinji Kagawa, Julian Weigl and fullback Lukasz Piszczek are “very” doubtful for the Bundesliga big game at leader Bayern Munich on Saturday, coach Thomas Tuchel said as he battles with half a dozen injuries.
Dortmund, in fourth place and fighting for an automatic Champions League spot next season with a top three finish, is already without injured Andre Schuerrle, Erik Durm and Marco Reus.
Tuchel said on Friday defender Marc Bartra was also a concern but his team would still give Bayern, ten points clear at the top with seven matches remaining, a run for their money.
“It will be a tough task. We want to hurt Bayern,” he told reporters. “It is important that we have already beaten them once (this season) to have the confidence (of knowing) that it is possible.”
There was some good news with captain Marcel Schmelzer given the all clear to return to action, with Dortmund fresh from its 3-0 win over Hamburg SV on Tuesday. The Ruhr valley club also faces AS Monaco in the Champions League last eight next week.
Bayern, which takes on Real Madrid in the Champions League, lost 1-0 at Hoffenheim for only its second league defeat of the season to remain on 65 points, ten ahead of RB Leipzig in second, and 15 ahead of Dortmund.
The two sides will also meet in the German Cup semi-final on April 26.
“We travel to Munich in confident mood. We expect the best possible Bayern side and trust we can match them for 90 minutes,” Tuchel said.
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