FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - Bundesliga - Borussia Dortmund v Bayern Munich - Signal Iduna Park, Dortmund, Germany - November 30, 2024 Borussia Dortmund coach Nuri Sahin before the match REUTERS/Leon Kuegeler/File Photo
(Reuters) - Borussia Dortmund manager Nuri Sahin cut a disconsolate figure on Monday as he counted the cost of a flu-like illness that has cut through his squad and continues to wreak havoc as they prepare to face Holstein Kiel in the Bundesliga.
Dortmund are eighth in the table after being beaten 3-2 at home by Bayer Leverkusen on Friday, with Sahin revealing that 12 members of his team and coaching staff had been laid low by the illness in the hours leading up to the game.
They travel to promoted Kiel on Tuesday, with Sahin unable to confirm how many players he will have available.
Emre Can, Ramy Bensebaini, Pascal Gross, Filippo Mane and Alexander Meyer were all left out of the squad for the Leverkusen loss because of the illness.
Karim Adeyemi, Jamie Gittens and Donyell Malen all featured against Leverkusen but are now doubts for Tuesday's game after also falling ill.
"Emre, Ramy, Pascal, Filippo and Alex are the sick ones and their hearts are fine now, but to be honest, we don't know yet whether it'll be enough," Sahin told a press conference.
"The boys were really ill and they're on the right track, but we still have to wait and see how they tolerate training.
"Karim's got it too, and he's a big question mark, Jamie is question mark for the game and with Donny we have to wait and see."
Sahin had no answers on how the virus had managed to enter the camp, but insisted that Dortmund would fight to the last against Kiel.
"Maybe you can tell by my voice it broke us all a bit," he said. "We're very careful in our interaction but somehow this virus got in and now we have to endure it."
The illness ensured that Dortmund started the New Year on a losing note, but Sahin insisted that despite the difficult circumstances his team would not be rolled over on Tuesday.
"We still want to achieve our goals," he said. "Of course it's a bit harder but we play in Kiel tomorrow to get the three points.
"No matter what the personnel situation is, we will play 11 against 11 tomorrow, and as Borussia Dortmund we want to win the game."
(Reporting by Simon Jennings in Bengaluru, editing by Pritha Sarkar)
