The chances of recovery are good, says Borussia Dortmund, but the focus is on the devastating diagnosis. Sebastien Haller's tumor is malignant, the attacker has testicular cancer. The 28-year-old will soon start chemotherapy.
Striker Sebastien Haller from Bundesliga club Borussia Dortmund has, as feared, contracted testicular cancer and has to undergo chemotherapy. The club announced the shocking diagnosis of a malignant testicular tumor. Twelve days ago, on July 18, the Ivory Coast international left the training camp in Switzerland early to undergo thorough medical examinations. Now there is sad certainty - but at least there is also confidence that there is a high probability of a full recovery from testicular cancer. Nevertheless, according to the club's announcement, the 28-year-old will initially be out for months.
"Sebastien will now receive the best possible treatment. The chances of recovery are very good," said BVB sporting director Sebastian Kehl. "We wish him and his family a lot of strength and optimism and our thoughts are with him at this difficult time."
After the testicular tumor was found at the BVB training camp in Bad Ragaz, Haller immediately returned to Dortmund in order to obtain certainty in further examinations. A few days later, after the first treatment steps, he reported confidently via Twitter from the hospital. He was generally combative and announced a quick return to the pitch.
Despite all the intensive sympathy, BVB is examining options to sign a replacement for the storm center. Haller, who has just come from Ajax Amsterdam for at least 31 million euros as the most expensive attacker in the club's history, is actually supposed to replace top star Erling Haaland, who has migrated to Manchester City. The only central attacker in Dortmund's squad is Youssoufa Moukoko at the moment, but at 17 he will hardly be able and should not shoulder the sole burden.
"Nobody" will "take this story into account," said the new coach Edin Terzic in Switzerland - meaning that the opponents will of course not play with reduced effort because Haller is missing. A prompt reinforcement would be helpful with a view to the demanding program at the start of the Bundesliga, after all, BVB will meet Bayer Leverkusen at the start and then travel to cup finalists SC Freiburg.
