Eintracht Frankfurt coach Michael Skibbe is facing a striker crisis for Saturday's home game against Borussia Monchengladbach after Nikos Liberopoulos flew to Greece on compassionate leave.
The forward's father died this week and so he has been given permission to return to his homeland to deal with the funeral arrangements.
Since Ioannis Amanatidis has been ruled out for the rest of the calendar year and Martin Fenin is also injured, this leaves Skibbe without one recognised centre forward.
"I have a really big problem with who to play up front," said the Frankfurt coach at a press conference.
"Losing Niko is a big blow."
Nevertheless, Skibbe will not fall into the pessimism he has been so quick to criticise of late and says his side "still wants to win, despite all the problems".
Indeed, Skibbe does not want to hear anything about problems having once again spoken out about an apparent lack of ambition at his club over the last fortnight, criticising the lack of investment in new players which he claims is forcing them to stagnate.
He was reprimanded by club president Heribert Bruchhagen, but insists he will not hold back from giving his opinion in future either.
"I was told that I should have kept it all internally, but it is my responsibility to touch on problems and be critical," he told the Bild newspaper.
"That will remain the case in the future."
Borussia Monchengladbach coach Michael Frontzeck has confirmed that neither Raul Bobadilla nor captain Filip Daems will be fit tomorrow.
"We are optimistic that he will be ready against Schalke next week," said Frontzeck about Bobadilla, who has a thigh strain.
Daems, on the other hand, has suffered a foot injury just days after making his comeback in a friendly match last weekend.
