Borussia Dortmund receive boost as Ramy Bensebaïni returns to team training

Ramy Bensebaïni has returned to Borussia Dortmund’s first-team training after recovering from a rib injury, although coach Niko Kovač has yet to decide whether the Algeria international is ready to return to competitive action.

The 31-year-old defender has been working separately from his team-mates since suffering the injury during Dortmund’s 2-1 defeat by Bayern Munich in the German Super Cup.

The setback ruled Bensebaïni out of the beginning of the Bundesliga season as he continued his recovery away from the main group.

His return to team training last Thursday provided an encouraging sign for Dortmund, with Kovač confirming that the defender had rejoined his team-mates.

” Ramy trained with the team for the first time today (Thursday),” the Borussia Dortmund coach stated.

However, Bensebaïni’s return to full training does not automatically mean he will be involved in the match against Hoffenheim.

The Algerian has not played competitively for several weeks and Kovač is taking that lack of match fitness into consideration before deciding whether to include him.

The Dortmund manager said Bensebaïni remains some way short of the level required for Bundesliga football at this stage of his recovery.

Kovač made his position clear when assessing the defender’s condition, saying he is ” naturally still far from the Bundesliga’s required level .”

That assessment means the coaching staff will continue to monitor Bensebaïni before determining whether he can be considered for a place in the squad.

Dortmund are also keen to avoid taking unnecessary risks with the defender after his recent injury. Having spent a period away from competitive football, the club does not want to push him back into action too quickly and risk another setback.

The decision will therefore be based on how Bensebaïni responds after returning to group training and whether the coaching staff believe he has reached a suitable level of fitness.

Kovač confirmed that a final decision would be made after further assessment.

“We will decide to what extent he can be an option for this weekend,” he said.

For Bensebaïni, the return to training represents an important step in his recovery and gives him the opportunity to work towards a return to the pitch.

His immediate availability for Dortmund’s next match, however, remains uncertain. The defender will need the approval of Kovač and the coaching staff before he can resume competitive action.

The most positive development for Dortmund is that Bensebaïni has now been able to train alongside his team-mates again after several days of individual work.

For the former Borussia Mönchengladbach player, the focus is now on completing his recovery and regaining the fitness required to compete at Bundesliga level.

Dortmund will continue to assess his condition before deciding whether he can feature, meaning Bensebaïni’s return to action remains dependent on the coaching staff’s final decision.