Bundesliga
Marco Reus comeback confirmed
Marco Reus will make his long-awaited comeback in Borussia Dortmund's upcoming pre-season friendly with Sparta Rotterdam, the club have confirmed.
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Reus, 31, has not played for seven months due to an adductor injury and a bout of tendonitis in the same area, but returned to team training in mid-August and is now ready to take the next step in his recovery.
"Marco has trained very well over the last two or three weeks - he's making a positive impression, and will play on Monday," explained Dortmund's head of player licensing, Sebastian Kehl, a former teammate of Reus.
"He's in really good shape and full of beans right now. We're delighted he's back, and hope he can stay injury-free for the long term."
Before having his season curtailed by injury, Reus had been in scintillating form with 11 goals and five assists in his 19 league appearances. His last outing was in the 3-2 loss to Bundesliga rivals Werder Bremen in the DFB Cup last-16 on 4 February.
"It's tough when you're injured, so obviously I want to come back and play my part," Reus told BVB TV of his physical troubles.
"Hopefully, I can bring a different kind of energy to the team. I always try to show my quality, and hopefully I'll be able to do that next season. I'm always looking to improve."
Watch: All of Marco Reus' Bundesliga goals and assists in 2019/20
A fitter and more able Reus is a frightening prospect. For all his injury problems down the years, Dortmund's hometown hero has still registered some 127 goals and 80 assists in 279 Bundesliga appearances.
He has won the DFB Cup and three Supercups, and last term claimed his second Germany Footballer of the Year award - but the Bundesliga title has proved elusive.
After back-to-back runners-up finishes, Reus is more determined than ever to topple record champions Bayern Munich in the season ahead.
"My main aim is to win the title with BVB," he said. "If we can be consistent, we can do it."
Dortmund face Duisburg in the DFB Cup first round on 14 September, before resuming their pursuit of Bayern's crown at home to Reus' former employers Borussia Mönchengladbach in their Bundesliga opener on 19 September.
The Black-Yellows cross paths with Bayern for the first time in 2020/21 in the Supercup on 30 September. The first league instalment of Der Klassiker is scheduled to take place at Dortmund's Signal Iduna Park on 7 November.