Ankle Injury Puts Marco Reus’ World Cup in Doubt for Germany

Dortmund's Marco Reus is carried off the pitch during the German Bundesliga match between Borussia Dortmund and FC Schalke 04 in Dortmund, Germany, Saturday, Sept. 19, 2022. (dpa via AP)
Dortmund's Marco Reus is carried off the pitch during the German Bundesliga match between Borussia Dortmund and FC Schalke 04 in Dortmund, Germany, Saturday, Sept. 19, 2022. (dpa via AP)
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Ankle Injury Puts Marco Reus’ World Cup in Doubt for Germany

Dortmund's Marco Reus is carried off the pitch during the German Bundesliga match between Borussia Dortmund and FC Schalke 04 in Dortmund, Germany, Saturday, Sept. 19, 2022. (dpa via AP)
Dortmund's Marco Reus is carried off the pitch during the German Bundesliga match between Borussia Dortmund and FC Schalke 04 in Dortmund, Germany, Saturday, Sept. 19, 2022. (dpa via AP)

Borussia Dortmund captain Marco Reus is again in danger of missing a major tournament for Germany.

The 33-year-old Reus was stretchered off in the first half of Dortmund’s Ruhr derby against Schalke on Saturday with what looked like a serious ankle injury.

Reus was in tears after bending his right ankle unnaturally in a challenge for the ball with Schalke’s Florian Flick. American Gio Reyna came on for Reus while Flick was able to continue after treatment on his knee.

Flick’s namesake Hansi Flick — the Germany coach — had included Reus in his squad for the upcoming international games against Hungary and England and was counting on the attacking midfielder as a key member of his World Cup squad.

The tournament starts in Qatar on Nov. 20. Germany plays Japan in Doha three days later, four days before it faces Spain in Al Khor, where it also plays its last game in Group E against Costa Rica on Dec. 1.

Reus has been plagued by injuries at inopportune times throughout his career. He missed Germany’s World Cup win in 2014 with an ankle injury sustained in a warm-up game, and a groin injury ruled him out of the 2016 European Championship. He played in Germany’s unsuccessful World Cup defense in 2018 but skipped the next European Championship to recover after his season with Dortmund.

There was no immediate word from Dortmund on the seriousness of Reus’ injury. The player was still receiving treatment in the changing room before halftime and was due to be brought to a hospital.

Reus has 15 goals in 48 games for Germany.



Mbappé Scores but Encounters Issues Wearing Protective Mask

Kylian Mbappe of France goes down on the pitch during a Group D match between France and Poland at the Euro 2024 soccer tournament in Dortmund, Germany, Tuesday, June 25, 2024. (AP Photo/Hassan Ammar)
Kylian Mbappe of France goes down on the pitch during a Group D match between France and Poland at the Euro 2024 soccer tournament in Dortmund, Germany, Tuesday, June 25, 2024. (AP Photo/Hassan Ammar)
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Mbappé Scores but Encounters Issues Wearing Protective Mask

Kylian Mbappe of France goes down on the pitch during a Group D match between France and Poland at the Euro 2024 soccer tournament in Dortmund, Germany, Tuesday, June 25, 2024. (AP Photo/Hassan Ammar)
Kylian Mbappe of France goes down on the pitch during a Group D match between France and Poland at the Euro 2024 soccer tournament in Dortmund, Germany, Tuesday, June 25, 2024. (AP Photo/Hassan Ammar)

France coach Didier Deschamps highlighted the problems Kylian Mbappé faced wearing a mask to protect his broken nose in the 1-1 draw with Poland at the European Championship on Tuesday.
Mbappé scored a second-half penalty to mark his return to France’s starting lineup, eight days after sustaining the bloody injury late in the 1-0 win over Austria on June 17, The Associated Press reported.
Deschamps said ahead of the game that Mbappé's peripheral vision would be limited because of the mask but there were other issues on a hot day in Dortmund, too.
“Despite everything he has gone through, a week after the blow, it was complicated,” Deschamps said through a translator. "I thought he was quite good on his feet with the mask. He needed to get used to it.
“But when he sweats, that sticks in his eyes and he needed to wipe his eyes.”
Still, Deschamps was happy with Mbappé's performance, having left the Real Madrid-bound striker on for the full game — first as a central striker and then on the left wing.
“He’s hungry to play and the game would have done him some good," Deschamps said, "especially given what we’re going to be doing (next)."
France potentially faces tougher tests at Euro 2024, with host Germany, Portugal and Spain — arguably the most impressive team at the tournament so far — in France's half of the draw in the knockout stage.