Haller will miss the game against Atlético, Sancho will return

Borussia Dortmund striker Sebastien Haller will miss Tuesday's Champions League quarterfinal home game against Atletico Madrid, while winger Jadon Sancho will return, Dortmund coach Edin Terzic said on Monday.

Dortmund trailed 2-1 after the first leg in Madrid, with Haller scoring late to bring the visitors back into the game.

Haller was substituted after just ten minutes of Dortmund's 2-1 win against Borussia Mönchengladbach on Saturday, the Ivory Coast striker's first league start since September.

Terzic said that Haller “needs to take a week off to get a clearer diagnosis, but we assume that he will definitely be out for two to three weeks.”

The injury continues Haller's health problems in Dortmund. The striker missed six months due to testicular cancer after signing with the club in the summer of 2022.

This season he missed several games due to an ankle injury after winning the Africa Cup of Nations with Ivory Coast.

However, Dortmund were given a boost by the news that England winger Sancho, who missed all of Saturday's win over Gladbach, will return.

“Jadon is fit again. He immediately felt better on Sunday and was able to train yesterday. He’s back in the squad.”

Terzic did not want to reveal whether German striker Niclas Fuellkrug or teenager Youssoufa Moukoko would replace Haller in attack.

“We still have two training sessions and some time ahead of us. We had three players in that position and now we have two.”

“In the past we played well with Fuellkrug up front, in the past we played well with Moukoko up front – and we played well with both of them on the field.”

dwi/lp