Borussia Dortmund Braces for Champions League Quarter-Finals Without Donyell Malen

Borussia Dortmund is gearing up for a crucial UEFA Champions League quarter-final first leg against Atlético Madrid, but they will have to do it without their top scorer, Donyell Malen. The forward, who has been sidelined due to a muscle injury, was notably absent from the squad that departed for Madrid on Tuesday morning. With both Malen and Niclas Füllkrug leading the scoring charts for Dortmund this season with 13 goals each, Malen’s absence could be a significant blow to the team’s offensive strategies.

Sebastian Kehl Shares Insights Before Departing to Madrid

In an interview before leaving for Madrid, Borussia Dortmund’s sports director, Sebastian Kehl, confirmed the unfortunate news about Malen. “Unfortunately, he won’t make it,” Kehl said, reflecting on the forward’s inability to recover in time for the Wednesday match. Despite this setback, Kehl expressed optimism and excitement about the upcoming challenge. Dortmund is aiming to reach the Champions League semi-final for the first time since the 2012-2013 season, a year when they also made it to the final only to be defeated by Bayern Munich.

Looking Forward: Dortmund’s Ambitions and Adjustments

As Borussia Dortmund prepares to face Atlético Madrid without one of its key players, the team’s strategy and dynamics will inevitably have to adjust. The absence of Donyell Malen puts additional pressure on the rest of the squad to step up and fill the void left by their top scorer. With the team’s sights set on advancing past the quarter-finals and possibly reaching the semi-finals for the first time in nearly a decade, all eyes will be on how Dortmund adapts to this challenge. Will the team be able to overcome the absence of Malen and make a deep run in this year’s Champions League? Only time will tell as they face off against Atlético Madrid in what promises to be a thrilling encounter.