Borussia Dortmund coach Thomas Tuchel has revealed that Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is a doubt for Wednesday's DFP-Pokal clash with Union Berlin and Marco Reus is still some way off a return.
Tuchel's men welcome the in-form second-tier outfit in the midst of a tough run of fixtures - Dortmund have won only one of their last five matches across all competitions with fierce rivals Schalke and then Sporting CP to come in the next eight days.
Dortmund have been crippled by injuries so far this term and had 11 players out ahead of their last meeting with Sporting, and things are not showing any signs of getting better, with Aubameyang one of several to miss training on Tuesday.
"[Christian] Pulisic, [Ousmane] Dembele and Aubameyang haven't trained today," Tuchel told a media conference. "Pulisic and Dembele are both ill and Aubameyang has a swelling in the calf muscles.
"And it will take several weeks, at least, for Marco Reus to return.
"But [Nuri] Sahin is fit again and Sokratis [Papastathopoulos] will be able to play."
With Dortmund struggling so badly with injuries, Tuchel is finding himself left with little option but to play younger players, admitting they are being given a "crash course" introduction to the rigours of the Bundesliga and Champions League.
"There is no time to ease young players into it," he added. "It's a crash course for them now.
"Our young players have earned our full support, but it will be a difficult game for us against Union.
"It's our ambition to win the match. We want to get our fans behind us with the way we play.
"Generally, there is always a special atmosphere at our home matches. But we expect Union Berlin to bring a lot of fans. Hopefully they won't crash the party."
‘I don’t think Liverpool would look at Ollie Watkins, a striker isn’t a pressing issue for them – it’s Arsenal who need one’ Former Reds star explains why his old club don’t need an out-and-out forward this summer
‘He’ll still be playing at 40 at a good level because he’s in such good shape and looks after himself so well. He does everything to be a top professional’: Ex-Liverpool coach insists Mohamed Salah has plenty more miles in the tank
