Images of Niklas Sule have gone viral two weeks before the Champions League final.
The Borussia Dortmund defender appeared to look out of shape just a fortnight before his side take on Real Madrid in the final at Wembley. However, it isn’t clear whether the images are genuine.
Prior to the clash with Real, Dortmund, who are fifth in the table, are in Bundesliga action on Saturday as they host Darmstadt.
Sule played the whole game as he captained Dortmund during their 3-0 league defeat to Mainz last weekend.
He also featured as a substitute in the second leg of the semi-final success against Paris Saint-Germain.
Images of Niklas Sule looking out of shape have gone viral before the Champions League final
Sule was pictured in training with Dortmund ahead of the final stages of the season
Sule (front right) last featured for Dortmund during his side’s Bundesliga defeat to Mainz
However, fans have been left concerned by the images of Sule with the Champions League final rapidly approaching.
Sule was previously criticised by former Germany international Markus Babbel for appearing overweight.
Babbel was the manager of Hoffenheim in 2012 when Sule was a youth player at the club.
Former Liverpool player Babbel claimed that Sule ate pizza and kebabs too often.
Speaking in October last year, Babbel told Sport1: ‘Sule is good, but just not very good.
‘I think he has problems with having the discipline to do everything properly. When you carry three or four kilos more with you, you notice it at this level.
Ex-Germany international Markus Babbel criticised Sule last year for appearing overweight
‘There was also the topic of eating pizza six times a week and kebab eight times. That doesn’t work.
‘That doesn’t mean he shouldn’t do it at all. Sometimes you need a treat, that’s all OK. But you can’t do that every day.’
Sule has made 72 appearances for Dortmund since he joined the club in 2022.
He previously played for Bayern Munich, having signed from Hoffenheim in 2017.
