‘It wasn’t pleasant’ – Emre Can speaks openly on his long-term injury  | OneFootball

Almost six months passed between Emre Can’s appearance against Hoffenheim in April, and his Bundesliga return against Hamburg on Matchday 10 of the current campaign as Borussia Dortmund played out a 1-1 draw.

The 31-year-old had been sidelined with an adductor injury, an ordeal that began after their 4-0 loss against Barcelona in the UEFA Champions League.

“That’s when I started having problems,” Can told the club’s media team. “The coach knew it – I hardly trained or played anymore, I was almost always on the bench. It wouldn’t have been possible to play a full 90 minutes anymore. The coach asked if I could persevere.”

Speaking on his injury nightmare, Can added: “I had several setbacks in my rehab: I was very far along and then I felt it again and had to start from scratch. And then I was back to where I was and felt it again.”

Looking back on the past few months, the 31-year-old added: “It wasn’t a pleasant time, that’s all I can say about it. You have to stay incredibly strong, especially mentally. I had a few setbacks during my rehab, so that’s why it wasn’t easy. Nevertheless, I always stayed positive.”

GGFN | Daniel Pinder