DUESSELDORF, Germany — For a while after he returned to Borussia Dortmund, Jadon Sancho shrugged off more than four months without playing at Manchester United.
Sancho was back on the field for Dortmund two days after a move he said felt like “coming home,” and he set up a goal. He started the next two games, winning a penalty against Cologne.
But that long lull finally seems to have caught up with Sancho, who has been out of training for much of this week with what coach Edin Terzic said was a problem with his adductor muscle.
Sancho could miss Friday’s game at Heidenheim. Terzic said it’s simply a matter of being cautious, and so far Dortmund has given no indication it’s expected to be a longer-term injury. Terzic linked the muscle problem to Sancho’s long spell away from the first team at United, saying it “is not surprising after the long break that he had.”
A return to Germany has breathed new life into Sancho’s career, bringing back memories of when he was considered one of English soccer’s brightest young stars and worthy of a $100 million fee. He’s also helped Dortmund revive its season.
Before Sancho arrived, the team was winless in four Bundesliga games, its domestic league form failing to match bright Champions League group-stage efforts. With Sancho, Dortmund has three wins from three.
But this injury scare shows how quickly he has become important to Dortmund again and raises questions about how fragile his and the club’s turnarounds might be.
Dortmund’s Niclas F’ulkrug, center, celebrates his goal with teammates Ian Maatsen and Jadon Sancho., during the German Bundesliga soccer match between Bernd Thissen and VfL Bochum, in Dortmund, Germany, Sunday, Jan.28, 2024. Credit: AP/Bernd Thissen
A 3-1 win over Bochum on Sunday saw Dortmund overtake out-of-form Leipzig for fourth place and return to the Champions League qualifying spots for the first time since November. One competitor for Sancho’s place in the lineup, U.S. midfielder Gio Reyna, is…
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