“We have everyone on board who can be on board,” said BVB head coach Niko Kovac at the press conference ahead of the HSV game, expressing initial satisfaction with the team’s roster situation.
Carney Chukwuemeka, who had to sit out repeatedly during preseason due to a knee injury, completed the entire week of training. The biggest concerns currently revolve around Ramy Bensebaini, who suffered a bruised rib in the Super Cup against FC Bayern Munich and has not yet been able to train fully.
“He only ran today, and we’ll see tomorrow how things develop for the weekend,” Kovac reported on the Algerian defender’s current status. The Dortmund coach, however, said he was prepared for any scenario: “If Ramy isn’t available, we’ll find a good solution.”
Kovac: “We’re spoiled for choice”It’s also still unclear whether summer signing Justin Lerma will be fit to play on Saturday. The 18-year-old came off injured on Wednesday during the BVB youth team’s 4-1 victory over Fulham in the Premier League International Cup. “We assume it’s a muscle issue,” Kovac said, noting that Lerma would undergo further examinations.
One thing is certain for the BVB coach ahead of the first Bundesliga home game: “Every single player on the roster naturally has the opportunity to play. We have many healthy and very good players on the roster. So we’ll once again be spoiled for choice and hopefully make the right decisions to win Saturday’s game.”
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