Berlin: Borussia Dortmund were held 0-0 by Wolfsburg after leaving out Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang from the squad for “disciplinary reasons” for the second time this season.
Dortmund announced the decision to drop their star striker before the Bundesliga game, but neither the 17-year-old Jadon Sancho nor 18-year-old Alexander Isak proved an adequate replacement.
Remarkably, Wolfsburg have now drawn 11 of their 18 games so far.
Dortmund missed the chance to go second and instead dropped one place to fourth. There were whistles from frustrated home fans at full time.
Aubameyang, who has 13 league goals this season, was suspended from the squad for failing to turn up for a club appointment on Saturday.
Coach Peter Stoeger said it showed that the Gabon striker was “not so focused at the moment”.
Buerki said after the game it was a “logical decision”.
Stoeger’s predecessor Peter Bosz dropped Aubameyang in November for inviting a film crew to the club’s facilities and then turning up late for training, while previous coach Thomas Tuchel dropped him for taking an unsanctioned trip to Milan.
Dortmund sporting director Michael Zorc said he expected Aubameyang to turn up for training on Monday “like any other player”.
But Zorc criticised the 28-year-old player for his behaviour, saying he had always been professional until his various infringements.
“I’m looking at it over the longer term. From the point of view of indiscipline, missing appointments, there comes a point when it’s no longer tolerated and that’s where we are today,” Zorc said.
“It brings unease into the team and that’s not good.”
Simon Terodde scored with the last touch of the ball for Cologne to beat Borussia Moenchengladbach 2-1 in the Rhine derby and rekindle their slim hopes of escaping relegation.
Cologne remain bottom after the worst start made by any side in the league, cut the gap on Hamburg to six points ahead of their clash next weekend.
—AP
