Schlotterbeck Nears Return After Resuming On-Field Drills

A cautious one- to two-week ramp-up in training aims to restore him before the international break.

Overview

Nico Schlotterbeck has returned to individual on-field drills as he continues recovering from the ankle injury he suffered at the World Cup.
Coach Niko Kovac said the club hopes to reintegrate Schlotterbeck into full team practice within one to two weeks and will progress him carefully to avoid setbacks.
Dortmund expect the timeline to target availability before the end-of-September international break but stress exact match readiness remains contingent on training progression.
Schlotterbeck will miss Dortmund’s Champions League opener against Villarreal because of a suspension carried over from a red card in the Atalanta play-off and is unlikely to feature in the Sept. 12 and Sept. 19 league games.
His phased return will force Dortmund to rely on alternative defensive options in the short term and shapes selection and fitness management for the club’s early domestic and European fixtures.