Sebastien Haller delighted to be back on the pitch after making Borussia Dortmund debut
By Tushar Bahl
Sebastien Haller said that it was great to be back on the pitch after making his long-awaited Borussia Dortmund debut on Tuesday.
The mid-season friendly against Fortuna Düsseldorf was a special one for everyone involved at Borussia Dortmund, as Sebastien Haller made his first ever appearance for the club. The striker came off the bench to great applause and celebrated his comeback just six months after being diagnosed with testicular cancer.
Haller showed several glimpses of his quality during his 16 minute cameo appearance on Tuesday. And he is already looking forward to getting more minutes under his belt in the coming weeks. Speaking after the game, the 28 year old admitted that he missed the feeling of being on the football pitch.
"“It was a great moment. I got a lot of applause and a lot of messages. After six months, I finally got to wear a BVB jersey for the first time. I was really looking forward to playing because when you sign for a club you want to play right from the start. I did not get the chance to do it earlier, so now I hope I will play a lot of games.”“Playing is a way better feeling than running in the woods. I missed that feeling over the last few months. That’s why I want to be on the pitch for the rest of the season, to play as many minutes as I can and stay fit.”"
Haller joined Borussia Dortmund from AFC Ajax for a club record fee in the summer. But he was diagnosed with testicular cancer in July, and was forced to undergo two operations as well as a chemotherapy treatment.
The Ivory Coast international has made excellent progress in his recovery in recent weeks, and he also began training with the team recently. After making his debut for Borussia Dortmund on Tuesday, Haller will now be aiming to build on his progress and continue to work towards his return to competitive action.
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Borussia Dortmund are set to play their first competitive game of the new year in ten days’ time, as they go up against FC Augsburg in the Bundesliga. And Sebastien Haller will no doubt be determined to be in the squad for that game.