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Bender's ankle injury adds to Dortmund's woes

Borussia Dortmund / Twitter

Berlin - Borussia Dortmund has been dealt a blow ahead of Saturday's clash at Werder Bremen - its first Bundesliga game of 2017 - with Germany international Sven Bender its latest injury victim.

Dortmund confirmed on Thursday that Bender, a centre-back or defensive midfielder, tore ligaments in his right ankle in Tuesday's 6-1 friendly win at third-division Paderborn.

Magazine Kicker speculates he could be out for up to six weeks.

Borussia's bosses are unhappy with Bender's injury, the result of a rough tackle by a Paderborn player, which Dortmund's director of sport Michael Zorc described as "brutal."

"We won't be coming back here again unless we have to. There was no need for a sliding tackle like that on the halfway line," fumed Zorc after Germany's Andre Schurrle netted twice in the friendly win.

Bender's injury is a new setback for Dortmund coach Thomas Tuchel, with centre-back Sokratis rated "doubtful" for the Bremen match after picking up an ankle knock last week in Borussia's training camp in Spain.

Tuchel is already without the league's top-scorer Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, who has 16 goals in 15 games, as the striker is on Africa Cup of Nations duty with Gabon.

Winger Ousmane Dembele is doubtful for Bremen with a hip injury, winger Marco Reus picked up a back problem in Spain, and striker Adrian Ramos is set to leave for Chinese Super League club Chongqing Dangdai Lifan.

Sixth-placed Dortmund drew all of its last three league games of 2016 and is 12 points behind German league-leader Bayern Munich, while Bremen is just above the relegation places.

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