Almost six months passed between Emre Can’s appearance against Hoffenheim in April, and his Bundesliga return against Hamburg on Matchday 10 of the current campaign as Borussia Dortmund played out a 1-1 draw.
The 31-year-old had been sidelined with an adductor injury, an ordeal that began after their 4-0 loss against Barcelona in the UEFA Champions League.
“That’s when I started having problems,” Can told the club’s media team. “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.”
Speaking on his injury nightmare, Can added: “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.”
Looking back on the past few months, the 31-year-old added: “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.”
