AFP9 April 2024 | 10:57

Sick Malen missing from Dortmund's Champions League tie in Madrid

The 25-year-old has also scored once in the Champions League this season, Dortmund's goal in the first leg of the round of 16 away to PSV Eindhoven.

Sick Malen missing from Dortmund's Champions League tie in Madrid

12 March 2024, North Rhine-Westphalia, Dortmund: Soccer: Champions League, ahead of the round of 16 second leg between Borussia Dortmund and PSV Eindhoven. Dortmund's Donyell Malen takes part in the press conference. Picture: AFP

MUNICH - Borussia Dortmund will be without top scorer Donyell Malen for their trip to Madrid to face Atletico on Wednesday in the first leg of the Champions League quarter-finals, the German side announced on Tuesday.

The Dutch international, who has scored 11 Bundesliga goals this season, as many as centre-forward Niclas Fuellkrug, missed Dortmund's last two fixtures after picking up a thigh injury while on international duty and has yet to recover from a separate illness.

"Unfortunately, it wasn't enough (time) and he's still a bit infectious. It's a shame. Apart from him, everyone else is available," said Dortmund's sporting director Sebastian Kehl on Tuesday before the team boarded their flight to Madrid.

The 25-year-old has also scored once in the Champions League this season, Dortmund's goal in the first leg of the round of 16 away to PSV Eindhoven.

Having beaten Bayern in Munich 10 days ago to claim the Klassiker, Dortmund suffered a 1-0 defeat at home to Stuttgart on Saturday, and share fourth place with RB Leipzig on 53 points with six rounds remaining.