Borussia Dortmund captain Emre Can recently returned from a six month-long injury hiatus. He came off the bench during the final 23 minutes of their Champions League clash against Manchester City at the Etihad and turned in a promising cameo.
The German looked hesitant to burst into tackles much, but his passing accuracy was spot on, completing all 29 as well as making one clearance and recovery each. Just days later, Can made his first start for Dortmund since recovering in the late draw to Hamburg.
🚨⚫️🟡 Emre #Can is back in Borussia Dortmund’s squad for the first time after being out for almost five months with adductor problems.
— Florian Plettenberg (@Plettigoal) October 31, 2025
Nico #Schlotterbeck misses out in Augsburg due to a cold, as also reported by Ruhr Nachrichten, while Niklas #Süle remains sidelined with a toe… pic.twitter.com/bWxJItZKL2
He slotted in perfectly at the centre of their three-man backline, bringing in his usual composure and defensive resolve that kept the home side at arm's length for the longest time in the game. His five clearances and two interceptions are a testament to that.
But Can was at his finest while regaining possession as he made 10 recoveries and used his towering figure to dominate aerial duels too, winning all five that he indulged in. Suffice to say, it was a solid return to starting XI for him after months.
The Emre Can injury truth Dortmund fans might not have known
In April 2025, he succumbed to an adductor injury in Dortmund's 4-0 loss to Barcelona in the Champions League that began a lengthy period on the sidelines for him. Now in a new interview speaking to the club's media team, he shared insights on his interaction with head coach Niko Kovac earlier on:
"“That’s when I started having problems. The coach knew it – I hardly trained or played anymore, I was almost always on the bench. It wouldn’t have been possible to play a full 90 minutes anymore. The coach asked if I could persevere.”"Emre Can
The 31-year-old was forced to miss 19 games in all competitions during this period, including five in the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup. He also went through a turbulent period during his recovery, oscillating between positive and negative spells.
"“I had several setbacks in my rehab: I was very far along and then I felt it again and had to start from scratch. And then I was back to where I was and felt it again.”"Emre Can
Despite the setbacks, Can revealed he stayed optimistic of getting back into shape.
"“It wasn’t a pleasant time, that’s all I can say about it. You have to stay incredibly strong, especially mentally. I had a few setbacks during my rehab, so that’s why it wasn’t easy. Nevertheless, I always stayed positive.”"Emre Can
It was no surprise to see him get left out of Germany's squad for their November qualifying fixtures against Luxembourg and Slovakia, two games that Die Mannschaft won to seal their place at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
However, with the tournament still seven months away, Can has time to regain Julian Naglesmann's trust and earn a place in his World Cup squad, next summer.
The former Liverpool and Juventus star could next play in Dortmund's Bundesliga clash to VfB Stuttgart at the Signal Iduna Park on Saturday.