On Monday, it was reported that Mario Götze was suffering from a mystery metabolic disorder and would be ruled out of action for an indefinite amount of time.
Now, the Borussia Dortmund star, who has failed to re-establish himself in the first team at the Westfalenstadion since returning to the Bundesliga giants last summer, has been diagnosed with myopathy, according to reports in Germany.
Myopathy is a rare muscle disorder and is likely the reason as to why the World Cup winning midfielder has struggled so much for fitness, this season.
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For a young athlete, myopathy could prove to be extremely problematic as it causes increased weakness and fatigue in the muscles, which means Götze will struggle to recover physically after each performance.
Despite high expectations, Gotze's time at Bayern proved to be a struggle. Image: PA
According to doctors, a cure is possible, but it depends on how severe a diagnosis it is. The former Bayern Munich man said earlier in the week, "I am in the process of getting treatment and will do everything I can to get back into training as quickly as possible and to help my team achieve our common goals."
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An official club statement released by Dortmund read:
"Bundesliga club Borussia Dortmund will continue to be without midfielder Mario Götze for the time being. The 24-year-old World Cup winner has continually suffered with muscular problems in the last few months, prompting a comprehensive internal investigation into the possible causes.
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"Those investigations revealed the player has metabolic disturbances, rendering it absolutely necessary to withdraw him from team training for the time being."
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At just 24 years of age, such a diagnosis is of course a devastating blow for such a promising player, with any recovery set to take a significant length of time. The news has been met with shock in Germany, with some fans and journalists expressing regret over the way they've criticised the youngster, who memorably scored the goal that delivered Germany their first World Cup in 24 years, in 2014.
The moment Germany sealed their fourth World Cup. Gotze scores the winning goal of the 2014 final against Argentina. Image: PA
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German legend Lothar Matthaus, a recent critic of the Dortmund man, has been quick to retract his recent harsh words, saying, "It's a big blow. The good thing is that now they have identified the cause, they can treat him. Obviously you have to judge his recent performances differently, knowing this."
The 24-year-old has made just 16 appearances since returning to Dortmund, scoring twice. He first shot to prominence under the guidance of Jurgen Klopp as a prodigious 18-year-old, helping BVB to back-to-back Bundesliga titles and a DFB Pokal between 2010-2012.
Here's hoping the World Cup winner can make a full recovery and restart his career without any further problems.
(H/T Sued Deutsche)
Topics: Football, Mario Gotze, Borussia Dortmund, Germany