Borussia Dortmund defender Marc Bartra fails to make Tottenham trip after picking up groin injury
The 26-year-old was not in the party that flew to London Tuesday morning.
Borussia Dortmund defender Marc Bartra has not travelled to London for Wednesday's (13 September) Champions League clash with Tottenham Hotspur.
Bartra, 26, started and completed Dortmund's opening two matches of the new Bundesliga campaign but lasted just 18 minutes in Saturday's meeting with Freiburg. The former Barcelona defender suddenly pulled up with a suspected groin problem and was replaced by Omer Toprak.
Dortmund's travelling squad left Germany on a flight to Stansted Airport Tuesday morning but Bartra was not among the travelling party and will miss his side's group stage opener at Wembley. While his side had hoped he would recover in time, Dortmund have now decided not to take the risk with Turkey international Toprak expected to start alongside Sokratis Papastathopoulos at the heart of Peter Bosz's defence.
The German club will arrive in the capital with a litany of injury concerns that worsened over the weekend. In addition to Bartra, club captain Marcel Schmelzer was stretchered off in what was his first appearance of the season in Saturday's goalless draw against Freiburg, with scans confirming the defender has ruptured ankle ligaments that will sideline him for six weeks.
Neven Subotic also did not travel with the rest of the squad, remaining in Dortmund due to illness. The 28-year-old however could make the journey on Wednesday however should he recover in time.
Midfielder Julian Weigl was also a doubt having only returned to action for the club's Under-23 side on Saturday after a lengthy layoff with a broken angle. The 22-year-old however was part of the squad travelling to London this morning.
Tottenham meanwhile will be without midfield enforcer Victor Wanyama who is currently sidelined with a knee injury. Danny Rose and Erik Lamela also remain out with Moussa Sissoko another possible doubt after he was taken off in the latter stages of the 3-0 win over Everton on Saturday with a calf problem.
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