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Sébastian Haller on January 2nd during performance diagnostics in Dortmund
Photo:
Alexandre Simoes / Borussia Dortmund via Getty Images
For Sébastien Haller, who is suffering from testicular cancer, the long road back to normality has begun.
After two surgeries and chemotherapy, the 28-year-old Borussia Dortmund attacker returned to his team-mates for the first time since he was diagnosed with testicular cancer.
At the start of the preparations for the second part of the season in the Bundesliga, he completed parts of the obligatory performance diagnostics.
At 5 p.m., Haller drove to the BVB training ground – under the flashlight of numerous cameras.
In the evening, BVB published a short statement from Haller to the fans via social media.
"Hi guys, I'm finally back," the striker introduced the 14-second clip.
"It wasn't that easy, but with your support it went better and was easier to do." He is now looking ahead and looking forward to seeing the fans back in the stadium "for some victories".
Dortmund's record purchase, committed by Ajax Amsterdam last summer for over 30 million euros and intended as a replacement for Erling Haaland (Manchester City), had to undergo a second operation in November.
Haller is supposed to come to Marbella
According to current plans, Haller will travel to Marbella next Friday for the one-week training camp of the Bundesliga sixth.
»He feels a great desire to finally be with us again and to be able to train.
We are really happy for him and for him, "sports director Sebastian Kehl was quoted as saying in the "Ruhr Nachrichten".
On the basis of the data determined during the medical test, careful rehabilitation training should take place.
Kehl told the WAZ that the next few days would be looked at.
"There's a positive trend with him."
The new year also began for the other BVB pros with the determination of fitness values.
Marco Reus is said to have overcome his ankle injury and to be available again after a forced break of months.
More injured professionals are returning
There are similarly positive forecasts for convalescents such as Mahmoud Dahoud, Jamie Bynoe-Gittens (both shoulder surgery), Anthony Modeste (groin surgery) and Marius Wolf (balance disorders), who coached Edin Terzic seven weeks after the inglorious end of the year in Mönchengladbach (2nd :4) and welcomed the crash in sixth place.
"The squad should be relatively full when we fly to Marbella," said Kehl.
"The fact that many players are coming back that we missed a lot will increase the competition.
That makes us optimistic.«
On Wednesday, the first complete unit should take place on the lawn.
The finishing touches for the Bundesliga restart on January 22 against FC Augsburg will take place in Marbella.
Tests against Fortuna Düsseldorf (January 10) and FC Basel (January 13) will take place there.
ngo/dpa