Borussia Dortmund’s prolific striker Erling Haaland has been included in the squad for the German Cup final on Thursday against RB Leipzig but a decision on his participation will be taken just before the game, coach Edin Terzic said.
Haaland, who has scored 25 goals in the league this season, missed each of Dortmund’s last two league games after sustaining a muscle injury in their match against VfL Wolfsburg last month.
“Erling was on the pitch yesterday after almost two weeks out,” Terzic told an online news conference on Wednesday. “We did not push it but it looked good and we wanted to see how it feels.”
“We will also see it today as we have a short session here and see if it is enough for tomorrow. We also have tomorrow and we will see how it develops and if it makes sense to have him in the squad tomorrow or not.”
Norway international Haaland’s power has been crucial in Dortmund’s battle to secure a Champions League spot, with Terzic’s side lying in fourth place with two games remaining.
Dortmund, who lifted their last German Cup in 2017, have won their last five league games, including a 3-2 victory over Leipzig in the Bundesliga on Saturday.
“Erling is known in Germany and abroad for the danger he poses,” Terzic said. “But even without Haaland we scored eight goals in the last two games. The quality and strength of Erling is going deep and his physical presence but we have also managed differently in the past weeks.”
“It is a mix of joy and tension. Dortmund have won the Cup four times and tomorrow we want it a fifth,” said the coach, who will be leaving at the end of the season.
For Leipzig, coach Julian Nagelsmann victory would earn the club the first trophy in their brief history and would also see him leave on a high to join Bayern Munich.
“To play a Cup final would be an emotional farewell for me,” said Nagelsmann. “We still have two matches in the league and still have things to do.”
Second-placed Leipzig need a point from those games to secure their Champions League spot for next season.
“I would be very happy if I could bid farewell with the Cup and after the two league games,” Nagelsmann said.
This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text.
