Gonzalo Castro out for several weeks with a torn LCL

The injury bug claims another victim as it was announced today that midfielder Gonzalo Castro has suffered a torn lateral collateral ligament in the first half of the team’s 1-1 draw against Bayer Leverkusen on Saturday. Castro’s injury will sideline him for the next several weeks, according to the club.

The Spaniard received a hard stamp on his ankle from Leverkusen defender Wendell around the 40^th minute of the first half. The Brazilian defender originally received a yellow card for the offense, but VAR allowed the official to go back and look at his decision, and the ruling was changed to a straight red for the violent challenge. Castro couldn’t continue and he was eventually subbed off for Shinji Kagawa before the end of the first half.

Castro is yet another player to make the ranks of Dortmund’s already-lengthy injury list, joining players such as Mario Götze (ACL rupture), Marco Reus (PCL rupture), Sebastian Rode (bone), and Erik Durm (Hip). And that’s not even including the loss of Maximillian Phillip, who suffered a gruesome injury in the first few minutes and needed to be carried off on a stretcher on Saturday. His injury is still unanounced as he is receiving more tests, according to the club.

I know Castro isn’t everyone’s favorite player, and he’s been criticized time and time again on this site, but it’s never cool to cheer for a player’s injury or to celebrate that injury just because we don’t like him. They’re people just like you and me, and they don’t need “fans” of their own team rooting for their injury just because they’re not playing as well as you want them to.

All the best and get well soon, Castro.