BVB updates: Malen definitely out for Bochum, Brandt completes final squad training session
Ahead of what passes for the big "Revierderby" in the current Bundesliga field, Dortmund's Ruhrnachrichten has the latest news from the BVB's final Friday training session.
There's some good news in the form of returns to training for Thomas Meunier, Marwin Hitz, and Julian Brandt.
With Schalke 04 relegated from the top-flight last season, the biggest remaining first division rivalry is that of Dortmund-Bochum; two clubs separated by only 17 kilometers. The pair last met in the top division over 11 years ago. Back in the "Rück-runde" of the 2008/09 campaign, Dortmund crushed the soon-to-be relegated 1848ers 4-1 at the Castrop.
There's some good news in the form of returns to training for Thomas Meunier, Marwin Hitz, and Julian Brandt.
Such a scoreline at Bochum's house seems rather unlikely this time. Marco Rose's side continue to struggle with a myriad of personnel problems, compounded by the loss of defensive stalwart Manuel Akanji earlier this week. Bochum, meanwhile, are on a great run of four wins from five Bundesliga fixtures. This includes three straight victories at home.
In his final pre-match presser, BVB head-coach Marco Rose acknowledged that his squad had a tough task ahead of them and that they needed "to be very careful in a cramped and loud stadium." He noted that his team especially needed to be wary of making defensive mistakes, an ongoing team conversation that thus far, candidly, hasn't been making much of an impact.
Dortmund's major daily Ruhrnachrichten typically provides the very latest updates on Dortmund whenever they play an away match in the league. Reporters from the newspaper stake out by the team bus, carefully noting who boards to make the trip.
Since the Schwarzgelben only have to travel 17 kilometers (barely ten miles) tomorrow, it doesn't quite work that way. The real BVB bus (not the fake one run by Sebastian Pufpaff) remains parked at Signal Iduna.
The RN can nevertheless report Donyell Malen remained absent from Friday's training session. The Dutch attacker, still struggling with a viral infection, thus remains unavailable. Defender Thomas Meunier and back-up keeper Marwan Hitz managed to return in time to complete Friday training.
In the biggest news, Julian Brandt returned to the training pitch only six days removed from being hospitalized with a concussion.
A start for the versatile German attacker appears very unlikely, but Rose should be able to turn to the 25-year-old's services off the bench.