Erling Haaland, Borussia Dortmund’s goal machine, is facing another two months on the sidelines after the injury he picked up in the Champions League match against Ajax on Oct. 20.
The player’s father, Alf-Inge Haaland, told the Norwegian channel TV2 that his son is “unlikely” to feature for Dortmund until the end of the year. The 21-year-old is out with a hip flexor injury after previously recovering from a muscle problem in October. That injury kept Haaland off the pitch for a month.
Asked about Haaland’s situation, Borussia Dortmund’s manager Marco Rose said it would take Haaland “a few weeks” to return following his latest setback. Dortmund’s fans hoped he would be available by mid-November.
“He’s doing relatively well considering the situation, but he’ll be out for a little while. It would be a bonus if he got some games before Christmas, but it’s rather unlikely,” Haaland’s dad, Alf-Inge, said in Norway.
Despite his injury problems, Haaland scored an impressive 13 goals for Dortmund since the start of the campaign. Dortmund currently sits second in the Bundesliga on 24 points from 11 games, four less than champions Bayern Munich. Dortmund lost 2-1 in Leipzig at the weekend.
Dutch international Donyell Malen was Marco Rose’s initial cover for Haaland’s absence, but the attacker is yet to score in the Dortmund shirt in his 10 appearances since his move from PSV this summer. Steffen Tigges, who was promoted from Dortmund’s second team this season, started upfront against Ajax in the Champions League while Marco Reus and Thorgan Hazard were tried in false nine roles themselves.
Erling Haaland smashed record after record since coming to the big scene just two and a half years ago. Chelsea was ready to bid $210 million to sign him in August, but finally went for Lukaku once Dortmund made it clear they weren’t selling. Haaland remains a target for the top European clubs in England and Spain and is expected to finally move in the summer of 2022.
