The new year has begun with good news for Sebastien Haller and Borussia Dortmund after the Ivorian striker returned to the club’s training center on Monday evening for fitness tests as he continues his recovery from testicular cancer.
The 28-year-old joined Dortmund from Ajax last summer but was diagnosed with cancer before playing a single game. He has since undergone two operations and chemotherapy, but is now set to resume training as he works his way back to full fitness.
“I’m finally back,” said Haller in a video message posted on Instagram, thanking followers for the backing he has received over the past six months. “It wasn’t easy but it was easier with your support. Now I’m looking forward to seeing everyone again.”
Haller is expected to accompany his teammates to Dortmund’s week-long winter training camp in Marbella, Spain, on Friday — although he’s unlikely to feature in warm-up games planned against Fortuna Düsseldorf and FC Basel.
“It’s positive news for all of us that Sebastien is back again,” BVB sporting director Sebastian Kehl told local outlet Ruhr Nachrichten.
“We gave him all the support we could as a club, but ultimately he did it himself. He’s not had an easy time and he’s worked hard to get to this point. We’re all extremely happy for him and we can’t wait to see him again. He can be very proud of himself.”
After Erling Haaland’s move to Manchester City last summer, Dortmund hoped to replace the Norwegian with the €31 million ($32.6 million) purchase of Haller, who scored eleven goals in eight Champions League games for Ajax last season, while also becoming the top scorer in the Dutch Eredivisie.
But the devastating diagnosis changed everything. While Haller began treatment, Dortmund looked to Anthony Modeste as a last-minute replacement — with mixed results.
Still, Haller is under no pressure to return to action before he is ready, and will follow a personally tailored training regime based on the data from Monday’s fitness test. “He will decide the pace himself,” insisted Kehl.
Haller is not alone in the Dortmund recovery department, with Kicker magazine reporting that captain Marco Reus is available again after an ankle injury which saw him miss the World Cup. Mo Dahoud (shoulder), Jamie Bynoe-Gittens (also shoulder), Modeste (groin) and Marius Wolf (balance issues) are also making progress.
Borussia Dortmund, currently sixth in the Bundesliga, will return to action at home to Augsburg on January 22.
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