Germany: Bundesliga
Dortmund
Paderborn
By Ultan Corcoran@UltanCorcoran

Dortmund's Schlotterbeck and Bensebaini "ready to play this weekend"

Kovač explained that he can now count on two key defensive pillars who have returned to full fitness ahead of Bundesliga Matchday 3.
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Photo: Christof Koepsel/Getty Images.

Borussia Dortmund can once again rely on both Nico Schlotterbeck and Ramy Bensebaini for Saturday's game against SC Paderborn.

“Ramy and Schlotti have participated fully in the recent training sessions,” Niko Kovač confirmed in this afternoon's press conference.

"They are fit, they are healthy, and they are ready to play this weekend. This means that I can count on both of them.

“We could theoretically, and practically, field either of them [this Saturday],” the Dortmund head coach explained.

The news comes as a big boost to the Westphalian club as defensive personnel was already very thin in recent weeks.

Bensebaini suffered a rib contusion in their 2-1 Supercup loss to Bayern Munich, while Schlotterbeck's serious ankle injury at the World Cup sidelined him.

The German international was initially expected to return only after the upcoming international break, but it appears he has progressed well.
 

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