Dortmund: Reus, Gündogan back

A flicker of light is appearing at the end of Dortmund's crisis tunnel. Several key players have made a return to action this week, as the focus remains on the German national team's match in Warsaw.

After 422 days of injury hell since his last competitive match, midfielder Ilkay Gündogan was back on the pitch for Borussia Dortmund's U23 team in a bounce match against VfL Bochum's reserve. He even scored in Friday's 2-0 win.

Gündogan's absence has been something of a minimystery for Dortmund - and the German national team. The eventual time spent on the treatment table was nothing like the original diagnosis of a few weeks after feeling back pains in Germany's international against Paraguay. There was even an unsubstantiated opinion that he might never play again.

"It's been the toughest phase in my career," the midfielder said last week. Gündogan has been suffering from an inflamed nerve in his spine, which has been a complex situation for Dortmund to contend with. He sought the advice of specialists in Konstanz and Munich, and went under the knife in June.

Interestingly, while he was on the mend - and even seeking out specialists in Crimea during the Ukraine crisis - he penned a new contract, keeping him in the Ruhrgebiet until 2016. There was a muted response from the club - but a positive step undoubtedly for one of Dortmund's most important players.

First steps for Reus

With Jürgen Klopp and sporting director Michael Zorc present for Dortmund's friendly match, Marco Reus also made a return, playing about half an hour. The 25-year-old forward has been out since an injury on international duty last month, having missed a place at the World Cup because of another ankle injury. Neven Subotic and Henrikh Mkhitaryan also successfully came through a full team-based session.

Elsewhere, Sven Bender, Sebastian Kehl and Oliver Kirch returned to full training, going through individual sessions on Friday afternoon. The trio will be a welcome boost given Dortmund's slump in form over the past four weeks, with Klopp's side dropping as low as 13th in the Bundesliga after the loss at home to Hamburg last weekend.

Finally, though, for Klopp and Dortmund, the incessant injury problems seem to be easing ahead of a crunch period in their season.