The personnel situation at Borussia Dortmund is slowly easing before the decisive weeks in the Bundesliga title race.
Defense chief Mats Hummels, Raphael Guerreiro and Manuel Akanji are expected to return to the BVB squad for the game at 1. FC Köln on Sunday (7.30 p.m. / DAZN). The sick captain Marco Reus, on the other hand, is still missing, Mahmoud Dahoud is suspended.
Coach Marco Rose left it open whether goalscorer Erling Haaland will be in the starting eleven after a long injury break and two short appearances. “He was much more present in Mainz. He’s taking it step by step. We’ll have to wait and see what that means for Sunday,” said Rose.
After beating Bielefeld and Mainz (both 1-0), BVB has reduced the gap to leaders Bayern Munich to four points. “Of course, the table says something. It’s important that we take care of ourselves,” said Rose: “Bayern will still get a few points. We have to do our jobs.”
Rose praises recent BVB passion
In the most recent successes, his team “didn’t shine”, said Rose, “but the performances lived from a lot of passion”. This is how you create “identification”. These “basics” are also needed “120 percent” in Cologne.
The BVB coach welcomes the fact that 50,000 spectators are allowed in Cologne despite the increasing corona numbers. “I think it’s good that we’re opening up and trying to deal with the virus. I’m not anxious about that,” said Rose, who was also promoting vaccination.