It seems likely that Sebastien Haller will make his season debut for Borussia Dortmund this weekend. The 28-year-old striker has missed this campaign due to treatment for testicular cancer. Haller joined the German giants in the summer transfer window.
Dortmund boss Edin Terzic has included Haller in his squad for a clash with Augsburg on Sunday. “He has performed very well. It was a long downtime for him,” Terzic said. “We are proud of him. [and] how he fought and we are happy that he is finally available to us.
Terzic affirms that the striker could start on Sunday
The striker is not only in the team, but Terzic also claimed that Haller could start the game. “We’ll see then if he plays from the start,” continued the coach.
Haller met up with his teammates at training camp earlier this month. He made a second-half substitute appearance in Dortmund’s 5–1 friendly win against Fortuna Dusseldorf on 10 January. Haller then scored a seven-minute hat trick in another friendly three days later.
Haller didn’t let the diagnosis stop him
Before the two friendly matches, The Athletic asked Haller about his return to the pitch. “(It’s the) best feeling I could have,” the player proclaimed. “I didn’t know what the future would bring, but I focused every day on staying in shape.”
“Now I can do everything I did before, that gives me a lot of confidence. I only took 19 days off in the six months. It was difficult, but it’s my job and I love it.”
Haller also insisted that retirement was not even an option after the cancer diagnosis. “(Retiring) was never on my mind. He had the mentality of looking ahead and taking advantage of each day in its own time”, stated the international from Ivory Coast.
Haller’s season debut is scheduled for Sunday
“I want to play as fast as possible. There are no limits or restrictions on my participation unless the medical staff tells me otherwise.”
It certainly looks like Haller will get his wish soon. Dortmund, along with other German clubs, have been on an extended winter break following the World Cup. The blacks and yellows haven’t played a Bundesliga game in more than two months.
