Dortmund's Champions League Bid Faces Test Against Unbeaten Leverkusen

Borussia Dortmund's defensive concerns deepen as Waldemar Anton and Almugera Kabar are doubtful for Friday's Bundesliga clash with Bayer Leverkusen.

Borussia Dortmund's defense will be further depleted by the absence of Niklas Sule due to injury, while midfielder Pascal Gross will serve a suspension after being sent off in the 3-1 win over VfL Wolfsburg last month. Coach Nuri Sahin acknowledged the challenge of facing champions Bayer Leverkusen, who have been unbeaten in the league since August.

“(Coach) Xabi Alonso has changed everything at Leverkusen. He has stabilised them and added more and more. They're exceptionally good. It's a team that has a lot of control in the game, but we want that too,” Sahin said, highlighting the strengths of their upcoming opponents. Dortmund will be seeking to extend their unbeaten run to six matches and close the two-point gap on the top four in their bid to qualify for the Champions League.

“A win would be extremely important for the table. We're playing against a top opponent. We've always performed well against these teams so far. We want to get into a flow for the new year with a good game,” Sahin added, emphasizing the significance of securing a victory against Leverkusen.

Borussia Dortmund defenders Waldemar Anton and Almugera Kabar are uncertain to participate in Friday's Bundesliga match against Bayer Leverkusen due to illness. Coach Nuri Sahin revealed that the team is currently dealing with a flu outbreak, which has put the availability of the two defenders in question.

“We're having a bit of a flu wave so we'll have to wait and see,” Sahin told a press conference on Wednesday, expressing caution about the team's situation ahead of the Leverkusen game.