Metabolism disorder sidelines Goetze indefinitely

TIL Desk Sports/ Borussia Dortmund will be without Mario Goetze for the forseeable future after a medical check revealed a metabolism disorder, the latest set-back for Germany’s World Cup hero. “I am in the process of getting treatment and I will do everything I can to get back into training as quickly as possible to help my team achieve our common goals,” Goetze told the club website yesterday.

The 24-year-old scored in extra-time of the 2014 World Cup final to seal a 1-0 win over Argentina. But this season he has endured a difficult return to Dortmund, struggling with form and injuries, following three unhappy years at Bayern Munich spent mainly on the bench.

It cost Dortmund 22 million euros to buy Goetze back from Bayern, having been forced to sell him in 2013 for 37 million euros when the Bavarians triggered a release clause in his contract. He has not played at all this month after picking up a leg injury and was dropped for Dortmund’s home Bundesliga win over second-placed RB Leipzig at the start of February because of poor form.