Huge blow for Borussia Dortmund: another player suffers an injury against 1899 Hoffenheim
Borussia Dortmund defender Filippo Mane (21) had to be substituted because of injury in the German runners-up's away game against Hoffenheim.
The defender pulled up with a right thigh injury after just over half an hour, with the score still at 0-0, and sat down in the penalty area. His team-mates quickly signalled that Mane could not continue. Replacing the defender was Ethan Nwaneri (19), who was loaned from Arsenal FC a few days ago, coming on to make his BVB debut.
A longer lay-off would be doubly bitter for Mane. After all, he has been one of the winners of pre-season in head coach Niko Kovac's (54) team and looked on course to nail down a regular place in the back three. On the opening matchday against HSV (2-0), he came on for 16 minutes and then played the full match in the 5-0 DFB Cup win against Hamburg Eimsbütteler Ballspiel Club.
Against TSG, Kovac named him in the starting line-up alongside Joane Gadou (19) and Waldemar Anton (30).
Mane, who joined Dortmund from Sampdoria Genoa in 2022, has repeatedly struggled with injuries in recent years. At BVB alone, that has already left him sidelined for almost 500 days and has seen him miss more than 75 matches.
Who else is missing for BVB through injury?
Borussia's bad luck with injuries has continued early in the season: new signing Giannis Konstantelias (23) suffered a cruciate ligament rupture in the 2-0 against HSV on the opening matchday. Justin Lerma (18), another signing this summer, is nursing a muscle injury he suffered while on duty for the U23s.
Ramy Bensebaini (31) is also struggling with rib problems. Then there are the long-term absentees Emre Can (32) and Nico Schlotterbeck (26), who are both still doing individual recovery training.
Dortmund continue their Bundesliga campaign next Saturday at home to promoted side SC Paderborn. Before that, they begin the new Champions League season on Tuesday evening at Signal Iduna Park against Spanish representatives Villarreal FC.
