Dortmund Fitness Boost Before Villarreal Clash

Borussia Dortmund stepped onto the training pitch on Monday without Daniel Svensson and Konstantinos Karetsas – but any alarm was quickly put out by head coach Niko Kovac.

Both players skipped full team training ahead of Tuesday’s Champions League opener against Villarreal, yet Kovac made it clear at his pre-match press conference that their absence was precautionary, not problematic.

“That was completely normal today. It can happen from time to time that we let one or two players recover in the locker room or in the gym. Both are in perfect health and are options for the game,” he stressed.

So the pair remain in contention as Dortmund prepare for a high-stakes start to their European campaign.

The bad news sits elsewhere.

Filippo Mané will miss the Villarreal clash after picking up a muscle injury in the 3-2 Bundesliga win over Hoffenheim at the weekend, an issue that forced him off in the first half. Kovac confirmed the setback but underlined that the defender is not facing a long spell out.

“We're assuming nothing else will happen before the international break. He'll certainly return after that. Unfortunately, things like this are just part of the game. In terms of training load and training management, everything was top-notch; he had really good endurance and strength numbers,” Kovac said, frustrated by the timing but satisfied with the work behind the scenes.

Selection options tighten further at the back. Nico Schlotterbeck and Ramy Bensebaini, both recently making strides in their recoveries from injury, are unavailable on Tuesday due to suspension rather than fitness. Long-term absentees Giannis Konstantelias and Emre Can also remain out.

Kovac still has Svensson and Karetsas ready to step in. With Villarreal looming and defensive resources stretched, their availability might matter more than ever.