´Haaland is a human being, not a machine´ – Dortmund´s Rose

Borussia Dortmund head coach Marco Rose asked to ease the pressure on Erling Haaland and let him recover from a thigh injury amid question marks over his availability for Norway ahead of their World Cup qualifiers.

Haaland was absent again as Dortmund defeated Augsburg 2-1 in the Bundesliga thanks to goals from Raphael Guerreiro and Julian Brandt on Saturday.

Dortmund sensation Haaland also missed last weekend’s defeat to Borussia Monchengladbach and the Champions League victory over Sporting CP on Tuesday.

As Norway prepare for qualifiers against Turkey (October 8) and Montenegro (October 11) on the road to Qatar 2022, Rose stressed that both the national team and Dortmund need the 21-year-old forward back.

“It is not my job to finish someone’s hope,” Rose said following the victory over Augsburg. “All I can tell you about is the status quo. Erling has been trying to play for days now. Who knows him also knows that he always wants to play.

“He didn’t make it for the Champions League. It started in Gladbach and didn’t work today. And he told me very timely ‘Manager, I would love to play, but I can’t move the way I want to. I can’t even walk’. 

“This is the status quo we are working with, and I think it would be clever if we could all stop speculating. I understand the Norwegian federation. He is a human being, not a machine. If it doesn’t work, it doesn’t work. We have to get him healthy for Borussia Dortmund but also for the Norway national team.

“We had two games without him now and at the moment, things don’t look good for Norway either. This is also what Erling says, and we should release the pressure and not ask about his status every day. We should let him recover.”

100 – Marco Reus is now the third Bundesliga player since detailed data collection to assist 100 goals in competitive matches after Thomas Müller (176) and Franck Ribery (132). Milestone. pic.twitter.com/wWvBjK09qb

— OptaFranz (@OptaFranz) October 2, 2021

Haaland has scored 68 goals in 67 appearances for Dortmund since arriving from Salzburg in January 2020.

The in-demand Dortmund star opened the season by scoring 11 goals across seven games in all competitions.

Without Haaland, Dortmund recorded their eighth straight Bundesliga home triumph as Marco Reus teed up Brandt for the 51st-minute winner.

Dortmund captain Reus is the third Bundesliga player since detailed data collection to assist 100 goals in competitive matches after Thomas Muller (176) and Franck Ribery (132).

Dortmund are second in the Bundesliga, a point behind rivals Bayern Munich, who are due to host Eintracht Frankfurt on Sunday.