BERLIN: Borussia Dortmund have been dealt a blow ahead of Tuesday’s Champions League home match against Legia Warsaw with a broken hand ruling goalkeeper Roman Burki out until January.
The 26-year-old first-choice shot stopper suffered the injury in Saturday’s 1-0 win over Bayern Munich in Germany’s ‘Der Klassiker’, but played the 90 minutes and the injury was only diagnosed on Sunday.
Burki requires surgery which will sideline him until after the January winter break.
In Burki’s absence, ex-Germany veteran Roman Weidenfeller, 36, will take over in Dortmund’s goal with Thomas Tuchel’s side top of Group F, two points ahead of Real Madrid.
Dortmund are already guaranteed a place in the last 16 of the Champions League and are hoping to have Germany winger Marco Reus back against Legia.
The 27-year-old has yet to play this season after an adductor injury and his planned comeback against Bayern was delayed.
“I had problems with my heel last Wednesday after training,” he told magazine Kicker.
“If everything goes really well, I hope to be there on Tuesday and I’ll be glad when I can get back on the pitch.
Dortmund can be confirmed as group winners if they beat Legia — who Borussia hammered 6-0 in Warsaw last September — and Real fail to win away at Sporting Lisbon, also on Tuesday night.
Dortmund are unbeaten in their last eight games in all competitions despite an horrific injury list with midfielder Sven Bender and defender Neven Subotic both long-term absentees.
Marcel Schmelzer, who had been out for four weeks with a groin injury, and Erik Durm, sidelined since May with a knee injury, only returned for Saturday’s win over Bayern.
Legia will be consigned to bottom place in the group if they fail to defeat Dortmund and Sporting win against Madrid.
The Polish title holders earned their first point in the group by holding Real to a 3-3 draw in Warsaw three weeks ago.
