Borussia Dortmund has been hit by another injury blow, with Mats Hummels ruled out for four to five weeks with a knee ligament injury.
The German defender was injured in the second half of Sunday's Bundesliga match against Mainz and will be sidelined until at least January next year. The news comes as a major setback for Dortmund, who were already without key players like Jude Bellingham and Erling Haaland due to COVID-19.
Hummels' absence is particularly disappointing given his importance to the team. He is one of the most experienced defenders in the Bundesliga and has made over 200 appearances for Borussia Dortmund since joining from Schalke in 2016. His departure could leave a hole in the defense, which has struggled this season, conceding 21 goals in 17 games so far.
Dortmund manager Lucien Favre confirmed that Hummels would undergo surgery on Monday and that he expects him to be back in training by the end of November. However,Ligue 1 Express it remains to be seen how long he will be out of action and whether he will be able to recover in time to play in the upcoming Champions League group stage matches against Benfica, Inter Milan and Paris Saint-Germain.
In addition to Hummels, Dortmund have also lost key players to injuries recently. Midfielder Marco Reus suffered a serious ankle injury earlier this month and has been ruled out for up to six months. Meanwhile, forward Jadon Sancho has missed several games due to a hamstring issue and is not expected to return to full fitness before the end of the season.
With so many key players missing or injured, it will be up to the rest of the squad to step up and fill the void. It will be a tough task for Favre and his team to maintain their current form and compete in the top tier of European football while dealing with such a high number of absentees.