BERLIN: Borussia Dortmund and Germany defender Nico Schlotterbeck will need more time before he makes his comeback from a knee injury, coach Niko Kovac said on Thursday.
Schlotterbeck underwent surgery five months ago for a meniscus tear in his left knee that he sustained in April and despite having come back to light team training in recent days, he is still not yet ready for a comeback.
Schlotterbeck’s services were also badly missed in Germany’s two World Cup qualifiers in the international break, with the national team suffering a shock 2-0 loss to Slovakia before beating Northern Ireland 3-1.
“Nico has come back after five months and has been doing some light training without contact,” Kovac told a press conference. “He is a key player, a top national team player.
“Before we even consider the national team, he has to be healthy for the club and have playing minutes in training, in Bundesliga and Champions League matches,” he said.
“It will take more time. A Bundesliga player and especially a defender has to be able to do one-on-ones if they want to be part of the bench, and he is not yet that far,” Kovac said.
Dortmund, who had a shorter pre-season due to the Club World Cup, travel to Heidenheim in the Bundesliga on Saturday, having four points from their two league matches so far.
They also kick off their Champions League campaign on September 16 at Italy’s Juventus.
Dortmund defender Schlotterbeck needs more time until comeback, says Kovac
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Dortmund defender Schlotterbeck needs more time until comeback, says Kovac
- Schlotterbeck underwent surgery five months ago for a meniscus tear in his left knee
- “Nico has come back after five months and has been doing some light training without contact,” Kovac said
Stokes calls on England to ‘show a bit of dog’ in must-win Adelaide Test
ADELAIDE: Ben Stokes has called on England to “show a bit of dog” in the must-win third Ashes Test against Australia on Wednesday after “raw” conversations following heavy defeats in Perth and Brisbane.
The tourists have crashed to consecutive eight-wicket losses and must snap a 17-match winless streak in Australia at Adelaide Oval to keep the five-match series alive.
They have made just one change with Josh Tongue replacing fellow quick Gus Atkinson, while off-spinning allrounder Will Jacks kept his place ahead of Shoaib Bashir.
England skipper Stokes said after the Gabba defeat that Australia was “no place for weak men” and admitted to “raw” dressing room conversations in the aftermath.
“We don’t do getting into rooms and have big things up on the screen. We have proper, meaningful conversations. What’s been said has been said,” he told English media.
“I’ve done all the talking over the last two days that I needed to. All that stuff’s done now, so it’s about what gets seen out on the field in Adelaide this week.”
Stokes was called “the most competitive person I’ve ever come across” by former England captain Alastair Cook last week and the 34-year-old allrounder demanded more fight from his team.
“It’s just about trying to fight in every situation that you find yourself in, understanding the situation and what you feel is required for your team,” said Stokes.
“Just look at your opposition every single time and show a bit of dog. That’s fight to me. You’re giving yourself the best possible chance if you’ve got a bit of dog in you.”
He cited England’s battling third Test win against India at Lord’s in July as an example of the grit he wanted to see in Adelaide, with the hosts winning by 22 runs deep into day five after a time-wasting row.
“That’s exactly what I’m on about,” he said.
“We were probably in a situation where we would have to be absolutely perfect to win that game and we were.
“The attitude and the mentality toward that specific situation is what gave us the best chance of winning that game.”
Since arriving in Australia, England have been under intense media scrutiny and faced hostile crowds at Perth and Brisbane.
Just five of the players used so far had previously played an Ashes series in Australia and Stokes acknowledged it had been confronting for the newcomers.
“Honestly, I think so,” he said. “Now I feel everyone has experienced that and probably at its highest level, so we all know what it’s going to be like.
“So for the next three games there isn’t going to be any of that ‘I didn’t expect this’ or ‘it’s the first time I’ve had this’.”
