After Africa Cup exit: When will Bensebaini return to action for Dortmund? | OneFootball

Ramy Bensebaini is close to returning to Borussia Dortmund after Algeria’s Africa Cup of Nations exit. However, the match against Werder Bremen comes too soon for the BVB defender.

After Algeria’s quarterfinal exit at the Africa Cup of Nations, Ramy Bensebaini’s return to Borussia Dortmund is drawing nearer. The defender was eliminated with his national team following a 0-2 loss to Nigeria—a match in which he was frequently in the spotlight: first, the 30-year-old made a spectacular goal-line clearance after a mistake by keeper Luca Zidane, but later he was caught out of position ahead of Victor Osimhen’s opening goal. In the end, a second goal conceded sealed the tournament exit for the “Desert Foxes.”

For BVB, this does provide some relief in terms of personnel, but an immediate appearance is likely still too soon. According to Ruhr Nachrichten, Bensebaini will return to Dortmund in the coming days, but he is not expected to be an option for the squad in the upcoming Bundesliga match against Werder Bremen on Tuesday evening (8:30 p.m.). The club itself also confirmed that the Algerian international will return home soon after the elimination—though a specific return date has not yet been set.

BVB defender Bensebaini an option again against FC St. Pauli?

The reason for the cautious planning lies mainly in the heavy workload: Bensebaini played the full 90 minutes in all of Algeria’s matches at the Africa Cup of Nations. Therefore, he is to be gradually reintegrated into training before returning to the matchday squad.

Coach Niko Kovac could certainly use any reinforcement in defense. Due to national team duty, Bensebaini already missed the last competitive match of 2025 against Borussia Mönchengladbach as well as the season opener in Frankfurt. Additionally, loanee Aaron Anselmino is sidelined with injury, meaning that even Niklas Süle had to start again recently—without fully convincing.

According to Ruhr Nachrichten, BVB is nevertheless planning for a quick return of their defender. While an appearance against Bremen is considered unlikely, a comeback next weekend seems much more realistic. In the home match against FC St. Pauli, Bensebaini could once again be a genuine alternative for the first time.

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