Niko Kovac has offered Borussia Dortmund a timely lift ahead of Hoffenheim Vs Dortmund, with Nico Schlotterbeck edging closer to a return after his ankle injury.
The update comes before Dortmund's second Bundesliga match of the 2026-27 season at the Rhine-Neckar-Arena in Sinsheim, following their 5-0 DFB-Pokal win over HEBC a few days earlier. For a side still managing fitness concerns early in the campaign, the news around Schlotterbeck is the most significant part of the build-up.
Schlotterbeck moves closer
Schlotterbeck has been absent since sustaining an ankle injury during the 2026 FIFA World Cup, and Kovac's latest assessment suggests the defender is now nearing a return. That matters because Dortmund's defensive structure is much stronger when one of their most reliable players is available from the start.
In a short early-season window, the focus is less on long-term planning and more on who can be trusted for matchday two. If Schlotterbeck is close to full fitness, Dortmund regain an important option for a match that can still set the tone for the weeks ahead.
Bensebaini also part of the update
Ramy Bensebaini was also discussed in Kovac's injury update, giving Dortmund a broader picture of where they stand physically before the trip to Sinsheim. The question for BVB is not only whether key defenders are fit enough to travel, but whether they are ready to start and cope with the demands of a league match.
That is where these pre-match updates become so important. Early in the season, a manager wants certainty, particularly in defence, and Kovac's comments point to a squad that is moving in the right direction even if not every answer is final yet.
For Dortmund, the immediate focus is Hoffenheim. The longer-term significance is whether Schlotterbeck and Bensebaini can help stabilise the team as the 2026-27 league season begins to take shape.
