Dortmund drop top striker Aubameyang against Sporting

BERLIN ( Reuters) - Borussia Dortmund's key striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang was dropped from the squad shortly before the kickoff of their Champions League match against Sporting on Wednesday for "internal reasons", the club said.

Aubameyang, who has netted three times in the competition and has another 11 league goals this season, had been expected to start as Dortmund look for a win that will secure a spot in the knockout stage with two group games to spare.

"It is an internal issue and will remain an internal issue," coach Thomas Tuchel said.

He refused to say whether it was for disciplinary reasons.

Club CEO Hans-Joachim Watzke told ZDF television that the Gabon international would be back in the squad on Saturday against Hamburg SV.

"The internal reasons are exactly that, internal," Watzke said. "I will not say anything. But the good thing is he will be fresh against Hamburg. He will be back in the squad against Hamburg."

(Reporting by Karolos Grohmann; Editing by Ian Chadband)