Christian Pulisic
Pulisic a doubt ahead of Tuesday due to a muscular problem. Getty

KEY POINTS

  • The 19-year-old missed Monday's final training session with a muscular injury.
  • Pierre Emerick-Aubameyang to return to starting XI after recent suspension.
  • Tottenham travel to Dortmund leading Group H.

Borussia Dortmund are likely to be without Christian Pulisic for their must-win Champions League clash with Tottenham Hotspur but Pierre Emerick-Aubameyang is set to return to the starting XI.

United States sensation Pulisic was a late injury withdrawal last Friday (17 November) ahead of the Bundesliga clash against Stuttgart due to a muscle complaint – missing what would have been his 50<sup>th league appearance for the club.

Sky Sport Germany now report that the 19-year-old playmaker missed Dortmund's final training session on Monday and say the player is likely to miss out when Spurs visit the Westfalenstadion on Tuesday (21 November).

Aubameyang will return to the first-team however after serving a one-match suspension handed down by the club for the 2-1 defeat to Stuttgart. Although Dortmund did not officially disclose their reasons for the sanction, reports suggested the club decided to take action after he repeatedly turned up late for training.

Dortmund have maintained their leading goal scorer would be back in the starting XI for the visit of Spurs with manager Peter Bosz confirming that plan in a press conference on Monday. "We have clarified the matter, it is over for me."

Centre-back Sokratis Papastathopoulos is set to miss out, however. The Greece international was forced off at half-time during Friday's defeat after suffering a broken rib and while the club have not ruled out a swift return for this weekend's Revierderby against Schalke, reports suggest he will play no part on Tuesday.

He joins a Dortmund injury list that still includes long-term absentee Marco Reus, midfielder Sebastian Rode and full-backs Erik Durm and Lukasz Piszczeck.

Dortmund have endured a bitterly disappointing campaign since losing to Tottenham at Wembley in the reverse fixture, losing at home to Real Madrid before back-to-back draws against Cypriot side APOEL. The German giants have also lost four and drawn one of their last five Bundesliga games, slipping from first place down to fifth, nine points adrift of leaders Bayern Munich.

That run of results in Europe leaves them on the brink of early elimination from the competition.