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.



Euro 2024: Belgium Face Slovakia to Open Group E in Clash of Italian Coaches

 Belgium's midfielder #07 Kevin De Bruyne takes part in a MD-1 training session during the UEFA Euro 2024 football Championship, at the team base camp in Ludwigsburg, near Stuttgart, on June 16, 2024, on the eve of their first group match against Slovakia. (AFP)
Belgium's midfielder #07 Kevin De Bruyne takes part in a MD-1 training session during the UEFA Euro 2024 football Championship, at the team base camp in Ludwigsburg, near Stuttgart, on June 16, 2024, on the eve of their first group match against Slovakia. (AFP)
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Euro 2024: Belgium Face Slovakia to Open Group E in Clash of Italian Coaches

 Belgium's midfielder #07 Kevin De Bruyne takes part in a MD-1 training session during the UEFA Euro 2024 football Championship, at the team base camp in Ludwigsburg, near Stuttgart, on June 16, 2024, on the eve of their first group match against Slovakia. (AFP)
Belgium's midfielder #07 Kevin De Bruyne takes part in a MD-1 training session during the UEFA Euro 2024 football Championship, at the team base camp in Ludwigsburg, near Stuttgart, on June 16, 2024, on the eve of their first group match against Slovakia. (AFP)

Belgium and Kevin De Bruyne face Slovakia to start their European Championship program on Monday in Group E. Also in the group are Romania and Ukraine. Kickoff in Frankfurt is at 6 p.m. local time (1600 GMT). Here’s what to know about the match.

Match facts:

— There is a strong Italian influence on the game. Slovakia coach Francesco Calzona is Italian, and was the interim coach since February at Napoli where he had been an assistant to Mauricio Sarri. Belgium’s 38-year-old coach Domenico Tedesco was born in Italy though is a citizen of Germany having grown up there.

— Slovakia is at its third straight Euro as an independent nation, all since the tournament was expanded to 24 teams. Slovakia reached the round of 16 in 2016 losing 3-0 to Germany. As half of the former Czechoslovakia it won the 1976 title.

— Belgium was the beaten finalist in 1980, losing to West Germany.

— The teams never met in a competitive game and last played a friendly against each other 11 years ago. A Belgium team featuring a 21-year-old De Bruyne beat Slovakia 2-1 in Brugge.

Team news:

— Belgium left arguably the world’s best goalkeeper at home. That’s despite Thibaut Courtois proving his fitness helping Real Madrid win the Champions League final. Courtois has been in dispute with Tedesco reportedly after not getting the captaincy for a game last year.

— Belgium has injuries in defense with doubts over Axel Witsel. Veteran Jan Vertonghen and Arthur Theate are both expected to be unavailable. Zeno Debast, just 20, and Maxim De Cuyper could get their chance.

— Slovakia’s lineup could include Peter Pekarík and Juraj Kucka. At age 37 they are Slovakia’s oldest ever players. They also are the last remaining members of the 2010 World Cup squad that beat and eliminated defending champion Italy in the group stage.

By the numbers:

— Belgium is still ranked No. 3 by FIFA despite not advancing out of its group at the 2022 World Cup. Belgium has a seven-year run in the top five, including atop the ranking from 2018 through 2021. Slovakia is No. 48.

— Romelu Lukaku’s record 85 goals for Belgium, aged just 31, is more than the top three Slovakia scorers combined since it became an independent soccer nation in 1994. Marek Hamsik, who retired last year and is now an assistant coach, leads with 26.

— Belgium captain De Bruyne made his 100th appearance for the Red Devils last week, scoring in a 2-0 warmup win against Montenegro.

— Slovakia gave up the fastest goal in the history of men's international soccer in March. It took just six seconds for Austria's Christoph Baumgartner to dribble the ball direct from the center spot and shoot past goalkeeper Martin Dubravka.

What they’re saying:

— “Belgium has a lot of fantastic individuals. Take De Bruyne, (Jérémy) Doku, Lukaku, (Leandro) Trossard, all of them are huge players. Belgium has two or three top players playing in top clubs in each position.” — Slovakia midfielder Stanislav Lobotka

— “Since the 2022 World Cup, he has had to build a completely new team with a lot of younger players, so everything had to be adjusted to his philosophy of playing.” — Kevin De Bruyne on coach Domenico Tedesco