A 24 hour break after sustaining an injury to his adductor was insufficient to allow Marc Bartra to be part of the starting eleven. The Spaniard is part of the squad for the Bundesliga match against Hertha BSC (kick-off 20.30 CET), but will begin the game on the bench. He is replaced in central defence by Mikel Merino.

The 20 year old is gradually ascending the career ladder. In 2015, the central defender won the U19 European Championship with Spain, and in 2016, the 1.88 metre tall left-footer from Pamplona was promoted with CA Osasuna from the Segunda to the Primera División. He is now at Borussia Dortmund.

"Despite how young he is, he is already pretty much a complete player. He was very important for the balance of the team at Osasuna. He plays many good long and short passes", said Fernando Ciordia, who has followed Merino's development across the last three years for the Diario de Navarra daily newspaper of Pamplona. He continued: "He can read the game well. His style of play and his ability to win possession again and again are reminiscent of Barcelona's Sergio Busquets."

Starting Eleven: Bürki – Passlack, Merino, Ginter, Schmelzer – Weigl, Rode – Pulisic, Götze, Mor – Aubameyang
On the Bench: Weidenfeller, Park, Bartra, Dembélé, Sahin, Kagawa, Burnic (br)