Jurgen Klopp and the Borussia Dortmund team have received a real boost after Ilkay Gundogan and Marco Reus played in a reserve game against Vlf Bochum on Friday morning. Gundogan, who has been out for well over twelve months with a back injury, played forty-five minutes and scored in the 2-o victory.
'Both of them looked very good, but we should not attach too much importance to it'
- Michael Zorc
Gundogan initally suffered his injury on 14 August 2013 in an international friendly with Paraguay, and after the initial treatment proved unsuccessful, underwent correctional surgery this June. The 23-year-old is now expected to make Klopp's squad for the trip to F.C. Koln once the international break comes to a close. Dortmund sporting director Michael Zorc had this to say on the pair: "Both of them looked very good, especially when you consider how long Ilkay has been away. He looked very comfortable on the ball, but it was only his first test and it was only for one half so we shouldn't attach too much importance to it."
Joining Gundogan in Klopp's squad will be Reus, who went over on the same ankle that cost him a flight to Brazil this summer, in Germany's opening Euro 2016 qualifying match against Scotland. His recovery has been going better than expected, and if it continues over the break he could even make Klopp's starting eleven against Koln - a sight that will be sure to please Dortmund fans after their disappointing start to the Bundesliga campaign.