After losing the last 14 Bundesliga games of last season, Borussia Dortmund’s captain, Marco Reus could be fit for the start of the new 2020/21 season.
The skipper who had suffered a set back on the injury in July says “everything is an option” in terms of his comeback from injury.
Reus got on the treatment table after injuring an adductor muscle in February, forcing him out of Dortmund’s last 14 games of the 2019/20 Bundesliga season. He had returned late July but suffered a fresh setback by developing tendonitis on the same muscle. The development made the BVB announce that he would be sidelined “indefinitely”.
However, the 31-year-old has made a miraculous recovery to action quickly than expected. He has begun training with his teammates in mid-August, following the squad’s return from their summer training camp in the Swiss town of Bad Ragaz.
Marco Reus gives Dortmund further attacking options
The return of Reus has therefore offered further hope that he could be back in competitive matches sooner rather than later.
Speaking in an interview with Dortmund’s in-house BVB.TV channel, Reus, who was not involved in the two friendlies against Paderborn and Bochum on 28 August hinted that it is possible for him to be ready for the league opener.
He could even be ready earlier than then as the BVB will play DFB Cup first-round tie against MSV Duisburg on 14 September.
“If things keep going the way they are, everything’s an option,”
“At the end of the day it’s up to the coach to decide. I wasn’t sidelined for just two weeks, it was a bit longer than that.
“I’ve been back in Dortmund since last Tuesday and have been taking part in full training normally all week. I’m really happy that things are gradually getting better and that I can push myself out on the pitch. It’s important to get in a lot of training sessions.”
Before making any competitive appearance, Reus is “hopeful” that he can play in another friendly before the cup gets under way.
“For me the important thing is to get to a level where I’m confident I can play. Whether that’s in the cup or in the first, second, or third Bundesliga game of the season doesn’t matter to me.”
The successful 2019-20 season of the 31-year-old was halted by a groin injury at the start of the year. He had scored 11 goals and recorded five assists in their title chase before losing it Bayern Munich.
The last game he was involved in was a 5-0 thrashing of Union Berlin on Matchday 20 and the BVB was just three points off top spot. But since the absence of their captain, they couldn’t keep up the chase and eventually ended up 13 adrift of the Bavarians.
Unfortunately, Reus has not also been lucky with injuries. An ankle injury had made the attacking midfielder no to be part of Germany’s 2014 FIFA World Cup-winning squad.
He also missed much of 2017/18 due to a cruciate ligament rupture.
Due to his recurrent injuries and age, Dortmund has strengthened their midfield for the new season as they look to end Bayern’s eight-year stranglehold on the Meisterschale. Some of the team’s acquisitions include England U17 starlet Jude Bellingham signed from Birmingham City, highly rated Brazil U23 international Reinier, who also joined on loan from Real Madrid.
