Schlotterbeck back on the ball: comeback in this BVB match? | OneFootball

After a ten-week injury layoff, Nico Schlotterbeck is back on the training pitch with the ball. The BVB vice-captain is now working step by step on his comeback.

There is positive news from Nico Schlotterbeck at Borussia Dortmund. The 26-year-old center-back has returned to the training pitch after his serious ankle injury and was able to work with the ball again for the first time in around ten weeks. For now, however, it is still only individual training sessions. The BVB vice-captain has not yet returned to team training.

Schlotterbeck suffered the injury at the end of June during the World Cup. In Germany’s second group match against Ivory Coast (2-1), he tore a ligament on the inside of his left ankle. As a result, the defender missed Dortmund’s entire summer preseason and has had to work intensively on his rehabilitation in recent weeks.

Now his return is taking more concrete shape. Pictures posted by BVB on social media show Schlotterbeck with the ball at his feet again for the first time. If his ankle continues to remain pain-free, the workload is set to be gradually increased over the coming days. However, the club does not want to take any unnecessary risks and plans to carefully ease the Germany international back into team training under coach Niko Kovac.

BVB star Schlotterbeck back in training: Bremen as the target

According to BILD, the home match against Werder Bremen on October 10 is seen as a possible target for his return to the squad. That would give Schlotterbeck the international break from September 23 to October 8 to make further progress and get used to the demands of team training again.

Photo: IMAGO

The defender himself had recently remained cautious when speaking about his comeback. In mid-August, he said at the Formula 1 race in Zandvoort: “It’s simply a lengthy process. We have to take it day by day.”

At the same time, Schlotterbeck sounded optimistic and emphasized the intensive work during his rehab: “We’re trying to let it heal properly and do good work with the physios and the rehab coaches. Then I believe it won’t be much longer.” Just under two weeks later, his return to the training pitch marks the next important step.

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