Dortmund Duo Cleared for Villarreal Clash Despite Training Absences

Borussia Dortmund raised a few eyebrows on Monday when Daniel Svensson and Konstantinos Karetsas were nowhere to be seen in full team training. Any concern was quickly stamped out.

Both are fit, both are available, and both are in Niko Kovac’s plans for Tuesday’s Champions League opener against Villarreal.

“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,” Kovac explained at his pre-match press conference, playing down any hint of a problem.

Mané ruled out, more defensive absences

Filippo Mané will miss the Villarreal tie after suffering a muscle injury in the 3-2 Bundesliga win over Hoffenheim at the weekend. The defender was forced off in the first half of that match and won’t be rushed back.

“We're assuming nothing else will happen before the international break. He'll certainly return after that,” Kovac said. “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.”

The numbers didn’t protect him. Dortmund now travel into Europe without him and with their defensive options already thinned.

Nico Schlotterbeck and Ramy Bensebaini have both taken steps forward in their respective recoveries, but neither can help on Tuesday. Both are suspended for the Champions League opener, leaving Kovac to reshuffle again at the back.

Long-term absentees Giannis Konstantelias and Emre Can remain out as well, stripping more experience and creativity from the squad at a time when the European campaign is only just beginning.

Dortmund still have their attacking depth and a coach insisting the plan remains intact. How long that holds under the strain of a packed schedule and a stretched squad will be tested immediately under the Champions League lights.