In spite of losing their captain, Marco Reus, Borussia Dortmund defeated their opponents at Schalke in the Revierderby. With 81,100 spectators in attendance at Signal Iduna Park, the game was decided by a single goal scored by Youssoufa Moukoko in the 79th minute.
While the Black and Yellows won, the loss of the German midfielder dampened their celebrations. As the clock neared the 32-minute mark, he crumpled to the ground, holding his ankle, and had to be carried off the field on a stretcher. The medical staff had to run out onto the pitch to help the player as he was in excruciating agony. Heavy bandages were applied to his ankle, and he was stretchered off the field.
Although the 33-year-old has avoided serious injuries over the course of the last two seasons, he often suffers a setback just before a big tournament. There is concern that Dortmund's captain could miss another important competition since the World Cup in Qatar is just two months away.
How serious is Reus' injury and will he come back in time for the World Cup?
Concerns were raised that Marco Reus would be sidelined for the whole of this year's World Cup, which kicks off in November. His absence from Sunday's game was first feared to be due to a fracture, but Borussia Dortmund's sports director Sebastian Kehl said the player will be ready to play again in three to four weeks.
“The examinations we did yesterday did not show a fracture, but an external ligament injury to the ankle. It’s not so serious that the World Cup is possibly in jeopardy. Marco will be out for three to four weeks and then will be available to us again.”
Because of the short time frame of his injury recovery, Marco Reus' participation in this year's FIFA World Cup remains a strong possibility. The veteran will likely sit out of Dortmund's next matches against Koln in the Bundesliga and Sevilla in the UEFA Champions League.
Germany's UEFA Nations League matches against Hungary and England are also out of the question for him. Defender Benjamin Henrichs of Leipzig is taking his position in the squad. Fortunately, Reus still has time to get well and earn his spot in Qatar 2022.
