Lukas Piszczek and Gonzalo Castro are training with the squad again, having been out since the start of October and the start of December respectively. Both got through the first sessions unscathed.

Back when Lukas Piszczek sustained a knee injury in Poland's 4-2 World Cup qualifying win over Montenegro, Borussia Dortmund were still unbeaten in the league and clear at the top. He may be an option for the Black & Yellows when the Bundesliga campaign resumes against VfL Wolfsburg on 14 January. "As I'm okay to be tackled, I'd say I'm back to 100 percent," said the right-back today, adding: "The question is whether I physically have the stamina." Piszczek assured that he has worked hard on that over the winter break "and I hope I'll be in pretty good nick".

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On 2 December, Gonzalo Castro tore a lateral collateral ligament in a challenge with a Leverkusen player. Four and a half weeks on, the injury has almost completely healed, but Castro is not getting involved in tackling in training just yet. But "I think that'll be happening pretty soon in the next few days," explained the midfielder, who said: "And then it'll depend on whether the ankle holds." (br)