Germany’s central defender Nico Schlotterbeck is at risk of an early World Cup exit following his injury-related substitution in the second group stage match against Ivory Coast.
«He has an issue with his inner ligament, I don’t know what yet. He needs an MRI tomorrow. It definitely doesn’t look too good, unfortunately,» stated national coach Julian Nagelsmann after the hard-fought 2-1 victory.
Whether the Borussia Dortmund defender can continue to play for the DFB team in the tournament hosted by the USA, Mexico, and Canada now depends on the diagnosis of his injury.
Schlotterbeck had to receive treatment on the field shortly after the quarter-hour mark due to an unfortunate incident in the early phase of the game, and for a brief moment, it seemed Nagelsmann might be forced into an early substitution.
Schlotterbeck was able to continue until halftime, but he was not on the pitch at the start of the second half. Antonio Rüdiger was substituted in for the Dortmund player at the beginning of the second half. «In the end, it’s always the player’s decision whether he can still perform. And he did very well until halftime,» explained Nagelsmann.
What happened? As Schlotterbeck cleared a ball just before the charging Ivorian attacker Amad Diallo, he slightly twisted his left foot without any opponent’s contact and also kicked his own Achilles tendon with his right foot.
Schlotterbeck subsequently limped across the field briefly before the DFB team’s medical staff came onto the grass for treatment. Treatment continued off the field, and Schlotterbeck was cheered on by the German fans in the stadium in Toronto (Canada) with encouraging chants during this time.
DFB Team: Nico Schlotterbeck Could Only Play Until Halftime Against Ivory Coast
According to new FIFA regulations, Schlotterbeck had to wait a minute before being allowed back onto the field after treatment. When he was finally allowed back, the BVB star was still limping slightly and his face showed some discomfort.
While the first two alternatives for the central defender, Antonio Rüdiger and Waldemar Anton, began to warm up, Schlotterbeck was able to continue playing and seemed to be running a bit more smoothly as time went on.
However, when the teams emerged from the locker rooms for the second half, it was clear: Schlotterbeck’s injury was more serious, and Rüdiger took his place in the center of defense alongside Jonathan Tah.
Meanwhile, the DFB team turned the 0-1 halftime deficit into an important victory thanks to substitute Deniz Undav. Qualification for the knockout phase is now secured before the last group match against Ecuador on Thursday.