Hertha Berlin 0-1 Borussia Dortmund: Key talking points

Karim Adeyemi struggles to find the net in return to starting XI

Salih Özcan wasn’t the only player to make a return from injury. Karim Adeyemi was once again in the starting XI. It was his first appearance since coming off injured on matchday one against Bayer Leverkusen, though his performance suggests he may still need some time to get back to full rhythm and fitness.

Adeyemi was lively throughout the game, but one could tell that his movement seemed slightly less sharp and energetic than what we have seen so far. The German international also found himself on the end of a few good chances but he was unable to properly test Hertha’s keeper.

Mentioning this of course isn’t a criticism of Adeyemi’s performance, but more so an observation of the fact that the player is not at full fitness just yet. This is underlined by the fact that after being taken off in the second half, his foot was once again iced, which suggests that the German international was playing with relative discomfort. We can only hope that his recovery will be swift  as he is a player who adds a creative and dangerous dimension to Dortmund’s game out wide.