As an epic UEFA Champions League quarterfinal clash nears, between FC Barcelona and Borussia Dortmund, we have a couple of major team news developments. It’s good for news for Barcelona, as Inigo Martinez has returned to training and is in line to feature.
It’s very bad news for Dortmund, as Nico Schlotterbeck, one of their major players and key contributors is done for the season. He suffered a meniscus tear in his left knee.
ℹ️ Tough news to close out the season: Nico Schlotterbeck has sustained a meniscus tear in his left knee and will be sidelined for the remainder of the campaign. pic.twitter.com/ki3zfAZLwb
— Borussia Dortmund (@BlackYellow) April 7, 2025
UEFA Champions League Quarterfinals Leg 1/2
FC Barcelona vs Borussia Dortmund
Kickoff: Wed. April 9, 8pm, Estadi ,Olympic Lluis Companys, Barcelona, Catalonia
90 Min Result Probability: FC Barcelona 71% Draw 17% Borussia Dortmund 12%
Preview Content for Both Sides: Starting XI Predictions Team News
Team News for Both Sides
Schlotterbeck will have plenty of company on the sidelines, as he’s now joining the same ranks as Marcel Sabitzer, Niklas Sue and Filippo Mane.
Shifting gears to the hosts, and putting the focus back on Martinez, his absence on the weekend, in the win over Real Betis, was only precautionary.
It was just a matter of keeping legs fresh through some squad rotation. Which is totally understandable, given the insane amount of fixture congestion that the Catalan club is dealing with right now: seven games in a 20 day span.
And then finally, Hansi Flick has three standing injury absentees: Marc-Andre ter Stegen, Marc Bernal, and Dani Olmo.
Paul M. Banks is the Founding Editor of The Sports Bank. He’s also the author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,” and “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.”
He currently contributes to USA Today’s NFL Wires Network. His past bylines include the New York Daily News, Sports Illustrated and the Chicago Tribune. His work has been featured in numerous outlets, including the Wall Street Journal, Forbes, the Washington Post and ESPN. You can follow him on Linked In and Twitter.
