BVB defensive duo set to return against Tottenham | OneFootball

They haven’t spent a single minute on the pitch for Borussia Dortmund this year. But the chances are increasing that Ramy Bensebaini (30) and Aarón Anselmino (20) will soon be seen in black and yellow. Just in time for the Champions League clash against Tottenham Hotspur (January 20, 9 p.m.), the defensive duo is fit again.

For Algeria, the Africa Cup of Nations—which ended on Sunday with Senegal’s triumph—came to an end in the quarterfinals. Nigeria proved too strong in their 2-0 victory. Bensebaini was a regular starter, playing the full 90 minutes in four out of five matches. Only in the meaningless third group game against Equatorial Guinea (3-1) was the BVB pro rested.

After his return, he was given time by Niko Kovač (54) to recover from the strains of the tournament. He promptly caught a flu virus and was bedridden. But now Bensebaini is fit again, as reported by Ruhr Nachrichten. The Algerian will return to the matchday squad against the Spurs.

Sabitzer ruled out

The period of suffering is also over for his defensive colleague Anselmino. The Argentine had recently been sidelined due to a thigh injury. His last appearance for BVB was on December 10, 2025, when he was in the starting lineup in the “Champions League” in the 2-2 draw against Bodø/Glimt. The Chelsea loanee can also hope for at least a few minutes of playing time in London.

Marcel Sabitzer, on the other hand, remains unavailable. The 31-year-old Austrian is struggling with calf problems. He will have to watch from the sidelines against Tottenham.

There’s a lot at stake for Borussia Dortmund against the club from the English Premier League. As tenth in the table, the Black and Yellows still need points to secure a spot among the top eight teams and thus direct qualification for the round of 16.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇩🇪 here.