Eriksen keen on Dortmund move

Borussia Dortmund have been given a boost in their pursuit of Christian Eriksen with the Ajax player saying "a charismatic coach" is important to him.



Dortmund coach Jurgen Klopp is not only highly regarded for his coaching ability but also for his extrovert character on the touchline and with the media.



Following the sale of Mario Gotze to Bayern Munich and potential departure of Robert Lewandowski, Champions League runners-up Dortmund are in the market for reinforcements this summer.



And Eriksen has told Danish news outlet Sporten.dk that he would welcome a move to a side with a coach he can have a healthy professional relationship with.



"Jurgen Klopp seems like a really good coach and a great person. It can be the difference for me to get a charismatic coach with a tendency to use younger players," he said.



"It is the coach who chooses the team so it is important for me to play for a coach who I can trust and who you can build a good relationship with."



The Denmark international was keen to test himself in Primera Division but claims that is no longer the case.



"That has changed. I wouldn't mind playing in Spain if there was something interesting there for me but I might try a different league first."



Eriksen, reportedly a target for Liverpool, says he has no preference between a move to the Bundesliga or the Premier League, insisting the style of football is of more importance to him.



"They are two very different leagues but they are also very alike," he said. "The German league is on its way up where the English league is now. So I won't prefer one before the other. And it also rains equally much in Germany as it does in England.



"The most important thing is to do what I feel is right. My next club has to express that they really want me.



"I have to feel that it is the right place and then their style of play has to fit me. I can't play in a club that prefers to play with long balls."

Champions League preview

Wembley will host the first ever all-German clash in a European Cup final as Bayern Munich face Borussia Dortmund on Saturday evening.

Kick-Off 19:45 GMT | Live Stream  also Live Coverage on our FB Page World Football

A German side is therefore guaranteed to win the Champions League for the third time, and Bayern (2001) and Dortmund (1997) are two previous winners from the Bundesliga.

Bayern will be the favourites after an all-encompassing domestic season. Not only did they win the Bundesliga title earlier than any team in history, but they also set record for the most wins, fewest defeats, the fewest goals conceded, most clean sheets and best goal difference, and also scored in every league match.

This dominance has been reflected on the European stage. Bayern won all four of their quarter and semi-final matches, scoring eleven goals without conceding against Juventus and Barcelona.

Bayern will also be hoping to redress their final form, having lost to Inter Milan in 2010 and Chelsea on penalty last season in their home stadium, the Allianz Arena.

The match will be Jupp Heynckes penultimate match in charge before he leaves the club and allows Pep Guardiola to take his place at the helm.



Possible Line-ups:



Team News



Borussia Dortmund



- Mario Götze has been ruled out of the final against his future employers with the injury that he picked up in the semi final second leg against Real Madrid.

- Jurgen Klopp is likely to field the same starting eleven that played Hoffenheim last weekend, even if they did succumb to a loss against lowly Hoffenheim.

- That will mean Marco Reus plays in a central role behind lone striker Robert Lewandowski, with Kevin Grosskreutz lining upon the left. Klopp has also recently tried out Ilkay Gundogan in a more attack-minded role but it hasn't been all that successful, so he is unlikely to go with it again.



Bayern Munich



- Toni Kroos will not make it back in time to play at Wembley, but Arjen Robben has been in fantastic form of late and he will keep his place on the right, with Thomas Müller again playing centrally.

- There are unlikely to be any surprises in Jupp Heynckes' lineup, with the usual team having hit 4 past Gladbach last weekend.

- Holger Badstuber had yet more bad news yesterday after it was confirmed that he won't play again in 2013 after undergoing surgery on his knee injury.



Match Facts

Bayern have kept a clean sheet in their last 4 matches in the Champions League (including qualifiers).

Bayern have won 6 of their last 7 matches in the Champions League (including qualifiers).

Bayern have scored at least 2 goals in 6 of their last 7 matches in the Champions League (including qualifiers).

Borussia Dortmund have seen under 2.5 goals in their last 3 matches against Bayern in all competitions.

Borussia Dortmund are undefeated in 9 of their last 10 home matches against Bayern in all competitions.



Top scorers in CL for Dortmund and Bayern

Lewandowski 10 | Müller 8

Reus 4 | Pizarro 4

Santana 2 | Robben 3

-->

Dortmund holds on to reach UCL final

Borussia Dortmund are through to the UEFA Champions League final after securing a 4-3 aggregate win over Real Madrid.



Following their stunning 4-1 success in Germany a week ago, the visitors were stubborn throughout, with Madrid only able to breach their backline in the final 10 minutes through Karim Benzema and Sergio Ramos.



Jose Mourinho made two changes from the first leg, bringing in Michael Essien and Angel di Maria for Pepe and Sami Khedira, while Dortmund went with the same XI that had won so convincingly at the Westfalenstadion.



The hosts exploded into the game and could have taken the lead as early as the fourth minute. Luka Modric robbed Marcel Schmelzer and touched the ball to Mesut Ozil, who found Gonzalo Higuain first time in the box, but Roman Weidenfeller rushed out to smother the Argentine.



Ronaldo then blasted an effort over and hit a swivelling volley at Weidenfeller, either side of an opening for Robert Lewandowski, before Dortmund were handed an early blow as Mario Gotze was forced off with a hamstring strain and replaced by Kevin Grosskreutz.



Madrid were swarming forward and wasted yet another gilt-edged chance as Higuain's flick sent Ozil through on goal but, with Ronaldo waiting square for a tap-in, the German screwed his effort wide at the near post.



In the build-up to Tuesday's game Mourinho had lamented Real's soft approach to handling Lewandowski in the first leg, but his side went about roughing up the Pole where they could at the start of the second. Fabio Coentrao was the first to go into Howard Webb's notepad for a crunching challenge on the striker, while he was also caught by a stray Sergio Ramos elbow in an aerial challenge.



The visitors smelt blood and went after an early goal in the second half. Lewandowski blazed over after good work from Jakub Blaszczykowski on the left and had an even better chance just a minute later as Reus slipped him through on goal, but the number nine rattled the crossbar from eight yards.



Dortmund kept the pressure on and Madrid had Diego Lopez to thank as he thwarted Ilkay Gundogan from point-blank range after Marco Reus and Grosskreutz's one-two had left Raphael Varane for dead.



Madrid were struggling, with Mats Hummels and Neven Subotic proving nigh-on impossible to breach despite wave after wave of attack.



Indeed it was Dortmund who continued to make the better of the chances and they should have killed the tie off for good with 15 minutes to play. Reus danced into the box and, with a sight of goal, squared for Lewandowski, but Varane threw himself in front of the Pole's effort to preserve the stalemate on the night.



But the home fans were given cause for hope in the 83rd minute as Khedira played Ozil in down the left flank and crossed for Benzema, who finished high into the net.



With two minutes left on the clock, Madrid had another. Benzema did magnificently to control a high ball on the bye-line and cut back to Ramos, who thumped the ball past Weidenfeller, but it was not enough for the hosts and Dortmund will go on to face Barcelona or Bayern Munich, who are 4-0 up from the first leg, at Wembley in May.

Mourinho believes in Real comeback

Jose Mourinho believes Real Madrid's naivety lead to them losing so heavily against Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League semi-final first leg last week, but has backed his side to turn the tie around at the Bernabeu.



Real head into tomorrow's match 4-1 down after they were outplayed by Jurgen Klopp's side at the Westfalenstadion.



Robert Lewandowski scored all of Dortmund's goals and Mourinho felt his players did not mark him properly, and even complained they did not commit fouls against the Polish striker.

"My team only does legal things and only can do legal things," he said.



"We are so pure and so naive that Lewandowski scored four goals and we didn't foul him even once. They (Dortmund) fouled Cristiano (Ronaldo) five times as soon as the game began.



"How can you play 90 minutes and not commit a foul on a player who scored four goals?"



Mourinho expressed reservations about the team's chances of qualifying for the final, but still believes it is possible if they learn from their mistakes.



"I respect the history of this club but I never like to be in this situation, especially with a scoreline like that, when you start 1-4 behind. It's difficult to mathematically justify that we have a chance," he said.



"If we play like we did in Dortmund then it's difficult to see us doing it, but if we play the same way we have played in many games and we have the spirit to win a great game we will do it.



"We are an excellent team and we have excellent players.We are going to play to try and go through. We have to go for it right until the end of the game. Football is football and everything is possible."



Los Blancos beat rivals Atletico Madrid 2-1 at the weekend and Mourinho would like to see that performance replicated against Dortmund.



"I want my team to play with mental strength," he said.



"I have read that Saturday's game was boring but for me it was an example of how to be a compact, united and an aggressive team all working together for one objective."

Defender Sergio Ramos declared that the team were motivated to make amends for their disappointing performance in Dortmund.

"We can't wait for the game to arrive," he said.



"There is a desire in the dressing room to get revenge and stay in the competition."

Ramos, who will be the team's captain tomorrow, called on the fans that will be in the Bernabeu to make an extra effort but emphasised that ultimately it is down to the players to reverse their fortunes.

"You have to do your talking on the pitch," he said.



"Of course it is a boost to be able to play at home and have the fans roaring us on till the death. They can lift us, but that'll be no use if we aren't concentrated. It's up to us."

Dortmund eyeing move for Porto star

Portuguese newspaper A Bola has suggested that Borussia Dortmund are keeping close tabs on Porto striker Jackson Martinez.



With Mario Gotze set to join Bayern Munich in the summer and Robert Lewandowski also expected to leave, the Millionaires will have between €80m and €100m to spend on new players in the summer transfer window.



According to A Bola, BVB boss Jurgen Klopp is pondering a move for FC Porto striker Jackson Martinez.



The Colombian has been in scintillating form since arriving at the club in the summer, but the Dragons are not too keen on selling their prized asset.



Martinez has scored 25 goals in 26 Primeira Liga matches for Porto, while netting three times in eight Champions League fixtures.



The 26-year-old, who has also been linked with Galatasaray and Anzhi, has a €40 million release clause inserted in his deal and will only leave the Dragons if a club meet the asking price.

Eriksen: It´s great to be linked with Dortmund

Ajax starlet Christian Eriksen has admitted he is flattered to be linked with Borussia Dortmund, but insists he will not leave his current club for free.



The Danish playmaker's contract at the Amsterdam Arena expires at the end of next season, with Premier League duo Liverpool and Tottenham thought to be monitoring his situation.



Dortmund will lose one of their creative stars in the summer when Mario Gotze joins Bundesliga rivals Bayern Munich and they have reportedly turned their interest to Eriksen as they look to replace the Germany international.



However, while Eriksen is happy to see his name linked to such clubs, he has stated he will not allow his contract to run down and that he would have no issue penning a new deal with Frank de Boer's side.

"I've read that," the 21-year-old told AD when asked about reports linking him with the German club.



"It's great that [the media] link me with such a good club. But right now I'm only focusing on one thing. I want to become a champion and after that we'll see.



"If nothing happens, I'll renew my contract. I owe Ajax so much. I don't want to leave for free."

The Dane has netted 12 times and notched 20 assists in 43 appearances for Ajax this season, who are four points clear of second-placed PSV with just three games remaining in the Dutch league.

Big Sam rues Lewandowski miss

West Ham manager Sam Allardyce admits that during his time at Blackburn, he was looking at signing Robert Lewandowski.



Back in 2010, Lewandowski was due to hold talks with Rovers, as the battle to sign him from Lech Poznan was on-going.

Borussia Dortmund secured a deal, and the rest is history as the Pole is now one of the hottest talents in world football - which was highlighted by his four-goal haul against Real Madrid on Wednesday in the UEFA Champions League semi-final first-leg.

"It's true," the West Ham boss said.

"He was put forward to sign very strongly by our recruitment staff and unfortunately it was one that got knocked back.

"My distant memory isn't that great but I think (former Rovers chairman) John (Williams) and the board said we are not going to commit that amount of money.

"I think they wanted three or four million euros but we were particularly strapped financially at the time at Blackburn. I watched him play. But I didn't get the chance to meet him.

"I think his agent said he couldn't come over because of the ash cloud, yes. He's probably worth 40 million euros now."

Allardyce admits he rues missing the chance to work with him.

"I think about it every time I see him play. Last night I was thinking it again," the 58-year-old said.

"He would have had a period of getting used to the level and the physical presence, but with a talent like that it wouldn't have been too long before he started to shine and score goals.

"The level he is playing at now is unbelievable, not just his scoring ability but his ability to retain possession.

"There were a lot of people looking at him at that time as well but we had the edge over everyone else because of the attraction of the Premier League. He could have used us as a stepping stone but it didn't happen."


-->

Lewandowski destroy Real Madrid

Robert Lewandowski's stunning four-goal haul inspired Borussia Dortmund to a memorable 4-1 win over Real Madrid in the first-leg of their UEFA Champions League semi-final.



Polish hit-man Lewandowski became the first player in Champions League history to score four goals against Real to leave Dortmund well-placed to reach next month's final and set up the possibility of an all-German final with Bayern Munich.



Cristiano Ronaldo grabbed what could prove to be a crucial away goal for Real, but Lewandowski was the hero for Dortmund with a stunning individual performance.



Dortmund settled the better of the two sides and they went close to scoring after just seven minutes when Marco Reus picked the ball up and ran to the edge of the box before firing in a low shot which Diego Lopez did well to keep and Lewandowski was just unable to capitalise on the rebound as the ball went too wide and Sergio Ramos got back to block his shot.



The home side did make the breakthrough a minute later with Robert Lewandowski losing Pepe inside the six-yard box to sweep home Mario Gotze's inviting cross from the left and send the home fans into raptures.



Real were struggling to make any real impact in the early stages and it took them 24 minutes to have their first shot on target when Ronaldo fired in a trademark free-kick from fully 35 yards which Roman Weidenfeller did well to push away.



The game swung in Real's favour just before the break with Dortmund feeling they should have been awarded a penalty only for seconds later for the Spanish side to draw level.



Marco Reus went down in the box under pressure from Raphael Varane, but the home side's penalty appeals were waved away and the suffered a double blow as play switched straight down to the other end as Real equalised.



Mats Hummels made a mess of an attempted backpass to allow Gonzalo Higuain through on goal and he unselfishly crossed for the unmarked Ronaldo to slot the ball into the empty net.



Dortmund came flying out of the traps at the start of the second half and they restored their lead five minutes after the break as Reus's shot landed at the feet of Lewandowski inside the box and despite claims for offside from the Real defence the Pole poked home his shot from close-range.



Things got even better for Dortmund on 55 minutes as Lewandowski completed his hat-trick with a superb finish. Marcel Schmelzer's cross from the left found its way to Lewandowski inside the box and he showed great skill to drag the ball back past Pepe before smashing an unstoppable shot high into the net past Lopez.



Dortmund were in full flow and Ilkay Gundogan was denied a stunning goal by a superb fingertip save by Lopez after a fine run by the Dortmund midfielder past a couple of Real Madrid challenges.



The German side were awarded a penalty on 67 minutes when Reus was barged over in the box by Xabi Alonso and Lewandowski made no mistake from the spot as he drilled his shot straight down the middle.

Gotze 'turned down offers'

Mario Gotze turned down 'incredible offers' from unnamed clubs in favour of agreeing a move to Bayern Munich from Borussia Dortmund, according to executive director Matthias Sammer.

Mario Gotze agree deal to join Bayern for next season.

Bayern confirmed on Tuesday that the talented 20-year-old will move to the Allianz Arena in the summer in a £32million deal, making use of the release clause in his contract.



Sammer, a former Dortmund captain and manager who is now at Bayern, says Gotze rejected interest from elsewhere before deciding to join the newly-crowned Bundesliga champions.



The Germany international has previously been linked with a host of top clubs, including Manchester United, Barcelona and Real Madrid.



Sammer told Sky Deutschland: "You have to be aware that Mario Gotze has had incredible offers from other clubs. Those offers were really mad!"



Bayern announced the deal ahead of their UEFA Champions League semi-final against Barcelona on Tuesday night, which they won 4-0, while Dortmund host Real Madrid in the first leg of the other tie on Wednesday.



Sammer admits the timing was not ideal, while also confirming Bayern have not spoken with Dortmund about the move.



He added: "Of course, the publication of this transfer has not been so ideal. We intended to go public with it just after the UEFA Champions League semi-final fixtures.



"We haven't been in touch with Borussia Dortmund over it. Why should we? Mario Gotze has got a contract release clause and he is making use of it."




-->

Ozil relished the challenge against former club

Real Madrid midfielder, Mesut Özil is excited over the chance to play just 30 kilometres from where he grew up when Real Madrid take on Borussia Dortmund in the first leg of their Champions League Semi-final tie.

He is excited by the chance to play against his team-mates on the national squad.



In his pre-match press conference, Özil spoke about Wednesday evening’s match at Westfalenstadion and the thrill of facing Marco Reus and Mario Götze.



“Logically it’s very exciting for me to get to play against my team-mates but it’s even more special to be still playing for Real Madrid. This is the third time I’ve made it to a semi-final and it’s a vital game for us. The most important thing is that we give the best of ourselves and try to reach the final.”



The German international then spoke about his recent goal scoring performances, but says it’s not for individual recognition, it’s to help the team.



“I’m happy to be on a goal scoring run but the most important thing is that we function as a team.



“I hope we can give a good image of ourselves to everyone watching and work as a team, scoring goals is not the most important thing for me.”

Özil concluded by giving his thoughts on the shocking transfer of Borussia Dortmund midfielder, Mario Götze to rivals, Bayern Munich next summer.



“I didn’t know anything about this before, I just found out today. I know him well and I’m happy for him but I don’t want to talk any more about this issue because I want to focus on tomorrow’s game.”


-->

The fans feel betrayed - Matthaus

Lothar Matthaus says it is "unbelievable" that Bayern Munich have announced they are signing Mario Gotze from Borussia Dortmund, a day before Dortmund's Champions League semi-final.

Bayern agree Gotze deal

"The fans feel betrayed," ex-Bayern midfielder Matthaus tells: "Anybody with mischievous thoughts will now think back to the quarter-final against Malaga. Gotze was a decisive player and wasted six or seven big chances. He showed nerves then and this whole thing has certainly been developing for a while.



"[On the timing] It's not fair, it's unbelievable."


-->

Dortmund bid £14m for Chelsea star

According to sources in Germany, Borussia Dortmund have tabled a bid of £14million for youngster Kevin de Bruyne.



De Bruyne has been a Chelsea player since january 2012, but he stayed at Genk for the remainder of that season, before joining Werder Bremen on loan last summer.



The 21-year-old has had a fantastic season with Bremen, scoring six and assisting nine goals, in just 29 appearances in the league. His form has caught the eye of many German clubs along with European power houses.



He was set to join Bayer Leverkusen on loan this summer according to German reports, but now Borussia Dortmund, fresh off their great champions league escape against Malaga have emerged as front runners to land the youngster.



Chelsea are not sure whether to allow De Bruyne to leave on a permanent deal or not, but with a very packed midfield which boasts Eden Hazard and Juan Mata, De Bruyne would struggle for games at Stamford Bridge.



Dortmund are offering him a chance to play first team football and remain in Germany where he has had success this season, which may seal the deal.



A £14million bid sounds very appealing from a Chelsea point of view, seeing as he has not played for the Blues in a competitive game.

Rodgers eyes Dortmund model

Brendan Rodgers believes Borussia Dortmund are the blueprint to follow if Liverpool want to get back among Europe's elite.



The Germans reached the Champions League semi-finals on Tuesday with a sensational injury-time comeback to see off Malaga.



And they did so with a line-up containing two players from the youth academy and three free transfers, while the rest of the squad were bought for around £30million.



Now Rodgers is keen for the Anfield giants to follow the Bundesliga side's example so they can re-establish themselves as a major force.



He said: "Just look at Borussia Dortmund, a team that won the Champions League and then struggled financially.



"They went out and rebuilt and it took them four to five years to push on. Then they won the league and their European work suffered.



"This year you can see they have put their focus on Europe and they have lost their title. That's a team that has been growing over five years.



"So there is no doubt you need investment to raise the bar and the quality. But there are other ways to try and get an advantage and we can really push on next year.



"Unless you have the City or Chelsea money you need a different way and I think this is the best way because you are not just looking after the team but also the club."

Dortmund coach hails 'extraordinary' win

Borussia Dortmund's sparkling Champions League run this season has meant they have advanced to the last eight but the underdogs' hunger for European recognition has yet to be stilled.

style="border-radius: 25px 25px 25px 25px; border: 5px solid rgb(204, 204, 204);" width="320" />

Their first quarter-final spot in 15 years was sealed on Tuesday with a 3-0 win over Ukraine's Shakhtar Donetsk, giving them a 5-2 aggregate victory.



It was a return to the big time for a club that almost went bust less than a decade ago but has turned its fortunes around, becoming one of the more entertaining team to watch in the tournament this season.



"Now that we have made the quarter-finals it is only normal to want to advance another step to the semis," said their coach Jürgen Klopp, who took over in 2008 and led them to domestic league titles in 2011 and 2012. "But obviously that is difficult to do.



"This is an extraordinary moment for us," he added. "The whole Champions League season has been going so well for us. For 80 minutes we offered a superb game apart from a short spell after the break. It was a strong performance. We played good football but remained focused."



Dortmund failed to get out of the group stages last season after years in the football wilderness, but they have been formidable the second time around.



The 1997 European champions swept aside Ajax, Real Madrid and Manchester City at home to top their pool in the group stage. Their displays have been highly impressive but Klopp does not want to hear about his team suddenly being tipped for the trophy.



"We have nothing to do with these estimations of being among the favourites," said Klopp. "A number of teams that played really well have already been eliminated in the competition. Those left are all tough opponents and there are no lucky draws left here. But we showed we have matured and we have become very consistent in our game."



Dortmund's win on Tuesday was also the best remedy after they have played second fiddle to Bayern Munich in Germany this season. They trail Bayern by 17 points in the league and lost to the Bavarians in the German Cup last week.



Klopp's attack-minded players, who outclassed Shakhtar with yet another display of their now trademark positive style, could be forgiven for eyeing the next round and their only chance left for silverware this season.



"I do not think we belong to the group of top favourites but the group is getting smaller and our greed is getting bigger," said the Dortmund captain Sebastian Kehl. "All the teams left in the competition will be hard to play against but so will we."



The Shakhtar coach Mircea Lucescu acknowledged Dortmund's superiority.



"Overall, the result corresponds with what we saw on the pitch. I believe Dortmund deserved to go through," said the Romanian. "I hope they reach the final as they are a really strong side."



The Ukrainians, who are just back from a three-month winter break, found it hard to combat Dortmund's physicality too.



"Set pieces are a real headache for us," the Shakhtar centre back Oleksandr Kucher said. "We again conceded a goal after a corner kick. It was hard to fight in the air with these strong Dortmund players."

Klopp hopes to trouble Bayern Munich

Borussia Dortmund manager Jurgen Klopp believes his side can cause Bayern Munich problems when the teams meet on Saturday.



The clash between the Bundesliga heavyweights in Munich could prove an important turning point in the season.



Dortmund are third on the table, 11 points behind league leaders Bayern, who have lost their past five league matches against Klopp's men.



"We have the possibility to cause some trouble for Bayern," Klopp said.



"We have beaten them five times in a row in the league but we lost in the Super Cup.



"There, we really felt how different Bayern are this year. We tried to play our game in that match but on the other side the players were so aggressive.



"But if we can put all our quality on the pitch, then there are not many clubs in the Bundesliga that are as difficult to play as us.



"That is our task for this game, there is no guarantee for a good result for another team.



"Of course Bayern are favourites. They play at home, they have 11 points more.



"It looks like they play their own season but nevertheless it's our duty to go there and make it difficult for them to win."



Klopp, who has guided Dortmund to the past two Bundesliga titles, said he expected Bayern to always challenge for the crown.



"I guess it is not a big effort for (Bayern manager) Jupp Heynckes to motivate and focus them on their goals," he said.



"They have made some huge transfers. That is quite unique in Europe.



"Everywhere money is short but not in Munich. They have extended their squad in quality.



"Their offence for example is very good. You can change five, six or seven players and you still have a top European team.



"We have to admit that, and it's fine. Everybody has the right to do what they can within their limits."

Liverpool link to Grosskreutz

Liverpool are keen on Borussia Dortmund winger Kevin Grosskreutz, who is friends with Reds midfielder Nuri Sahin.



The 24-year-old has long been linked with a move to Anfield and scouts are expected to watch Wednesday's UEFA Champions League match against Ajax in Amsterdam.



Germany international Grosskreutz, a friend of Liverpool loanee Nuri Sahin, is under contract with Dortmund until the end of next season but he has hinted at a move to England.



He is quoted as saying in Bild: "Should I continue with my career in a foreign country at some point, the Premier League of England would be my top priority.



"I really like the way football is played over there. I have no concrete thoughts on that. In terms of contracts, my first conversation will be Borussia Dortmund."

Dortmund lose three players to injury

Borussia Dortmund has lost three players due to injury as a result of a combative 1-1 draw with Hannover in the Bundesliga.



Germany international Mats Hummels has been forced to withdraw from the national team which faces Republic of Ireland and Sweden over the coming week after picking up a foot injury which will keep him on the sidelines for a fortnight.



Jakub Blaszczykowski faces an even longer break after tearing ligaments in his ankle.



The Poland international, who will also be unavailable for his country, has been ruled out for six weeks.



Defensive midfielder Sven Bender will also need to rest for a fortnight due to concussion and bruising around the eye.



All three players had to be substituted during Dortmund's draw with Hannover, a result which leaves it nine points behind league leader Bayern Munich.

Five in a row for Bayern

A review of Tuesday night's action in the German Bundesliga, including a win for Bayern Munich and a draw for Dortmund.



Bayern Munich maintained their 100 per cent Bundesliga record with a 3-0 home victory over Wolfsburg, while Borussia Dortmund's stuttering start to their title defence continued with a 3-3 draw at Eintracht Frankfurt.



Bastian Schweinsteiger set the Bavarians on their way at the Allianz Arena in the 24th minute before a second-half brace from Mario Mandzukic made the points safe.



The result saw Bayern open up a seven-point cushion over Dortmund, the Westphalians having to settle for a point after relinquishing 2-0 and 3-1 leads in Frankfurt.



First-half goals from Lukasz Piszczek and Marco Reus looked to have put the visitors in control at half-time, but Stefan Aigner and Takashi Inui netted to get the promoted hosts back on level terms within six minutes of the restart.



And, although substitute Mario Gotze struck to re-establish Dortmund's advantage in the 54th minute, they were pegged back again by an Anderson equaliser 17 minutes from time.



The draw allowed both Schalke and Fortuna Dusseldorf to leapfrog Dortmund in the standings, with respective victories over Mainz and Greuther Furth.



Jefferson Farfan's first-half penalty put Schalke in the ascendancy against Mainz and further strikes after the interval from Lewis Holtby and substitute Teemu Pukki sealed a 3-0 win and lifted the Royal Blues to third.



Oliver Fink and Ken Ilso, meanwhile, were on target as Dusseldorf emerged 2-0 winners - and maintained their record of having not conceded in the league this season - against fellow top-flight newcomers Furth to climb to fourth.