Sahin enjoying more options as Borussia Dortmund injury list shortens

Borussia Dortmund will have several players back from injury for their Bundesliga game against visitors Freiburg on Saturday, with coach Nuri Sahin relieved to have more options again.

The Ruhr valley club have had as many as 10 players injured at some stage as they have dropped to seventh place in the league, 10 points off leaders Bayern Munich.

But they will now have five players back for their return to action, including goalkeeper Gregor Kobel, as well as Gio Reyna, Julien Duranville, Waldemar Anton and Jamie Gittens.

“After a long time there is more good news than bad news regarding injuries,” Sahin told a press conference on Thursday.

“I don’t expect Gio and Duranville, for example, to be at 100% but the physios have done a great job.

“So if they are in the squad that means they can play. I’m just happy to be able to take decisions. We can now take some nice decisions.”

Nossa família extendidapic.twitter.com/dpcD9ZSjbt

— Borussia Dortmund (@BlackYellow) November 20, 2024

Until the international break last week, Dortmund, who travel to Dinamo Zagreb in the Champions League next week, struggled with injuries and failed to win any of their away matches in the league, losing touch with the leading teams.

Dortmund, who have 16 points from 10 games, will be without injured defender Niklas Sule and suspended captain Emre Can.

“I had said we were running on fumes before the international break because we had to play with the same team,” Sahin said.

“I think we played with an almost identical lineup in five consecutive games. I hope that in the coming weeks we will be able to rotate more.