Berlin, Jan 10 (IANS): German football club Borussia Dortmund have confirmed that their midfielder Sven Bender will be sidelined with a knee injury for four weeks, according to an official statement issued Saturday.
Bender will miss the training camp in Spain and the start of the second half of the Bundesliga season after twisting his knee Wednesday.
The 25-year-old defensive midfielder successfully underwent a surgery Friday and will be out of action for four weeks, according to Dortmund's club doctor Markus Braun.
Dortmund will depart Saturday to prepare in La Manga, Spain, for the upcoming second half of the campaign.
It is a much needed break for coach Juergen Klopp and his men as they have suffered 10 defeats in 17 games to slump to the penultimate position, the 17th place, in the Bundesliga standings.
They are equal on points with last placed SC Freiburg with only 15 accumulated so far.