When will injured BVB duo return? Kovač gives his view | OneFootball

This season, they haven't been seen on the field yet. Emre Can (31) and Julien Duranville (19) have been missing from Borussia Dortmund since the start of the current season. A comeback for the duo is not expected anytime soon, announced Niko Kovač (54).

Can played his last match on the 34th matchday of the 2024/25 season when BVB won 3-0 against Holstein Kiel. The Westphalians secured qualification for the Champions League in the final sprint. Since then, a groin injury has sidelined the Borussia captain. The 48-time national player is missing the opportunity to recommend himself for a new contract due to this forced break. His current contract ends on June 30, 2026.

A comeback for Can seems at least within reach. Kovač confirmed this on Monday during the press conference before the DFB-Pokal duel at Eintracht Frankfurt (October 28, 6:30 PM). "Emre is making progress," announced the Dortmund head coach. However, a timely appearance is not yet considered. This will "probably be something after the international break," postponing the return of his team captain to mid-November at the earliest. On the 22nd of the month, the Bundesliga match against VfB Stuttgart is scheduled.

"100-percent healthy and fit players"

Duranville, who has been plagued by injury misfortune, has also been hit hard. The just 19-year-old Belgian has already had to endure quite a bit in his relatively short career. Various muscle injuries repeatedly forced the winger to watch from the sidelines. At the beginning of July, he suffered a dislocation of the acromioclavicular joint in the quarter-finals of the FIFA Club World Cup against Real Madrid (2-3).

Since then, the youngster has been working hard to return to the football field. But, as in Can's case, patience is required. "With Duranville, it will still take time, as he must not fall on his shoulder," explains Kovač. Therefore, Duranville is "not yet allowed to engage in duels." His season debut is also expected at the earliest after the next international break.

The BVB coach emphasizes that he does not want to "exert any pressure" on the two professionals. For Kovač, the well-being of the players is a priority. "We really want to have 100-percent healthy and fit players," he stresses.

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