Julian Ryerson’s early return from Norway has put Borussia Dortmund’s thin full-back depth back in focus before Friday’s home match against Werder Bremen. The league leaders may need Niko Kovac to reshuffle if the Norwegian cannot recover from a rib problem in time.
Key takeaways
- Ryerson left Norway duty early after taking a blow in a duel and could miss Friday’s 20:30 match with Bremen.
- The right-back was substituted after 66 minutes against Portugal, then lasted only around 15 minutes against Wales.
- Daniel Svensson remains Dortmund’s most reliable wing-back option and is expected to play for Sweden in Romania on Monday.
- Ramy Bensebaini and centre-back Joane Gadou are both still scheduled for international action on Tuesday evening.
- Nico Schlotterbeck has also departed his national-team camp because of injury.
Limited cover on the flanks
Ryerson has built a reputation for playing through pain. At 13, he completed eight matches in a week at a Norwegian youth tournament for Lyngdal IL despite a training-ground kick. A hospital examination later found three broken bones in his foot.
That background makes his two international substitutions particularly notable. Norway coach Staale Solbakken said Ryerson had received a hit in one of the first challenges. The current rib issue is not expected to keep him out for a long period, but his availability against Bremen remains uncertain.
The 28-year-old has not yet matched his remarkable return of 12 Bundesliga assists from the first half of 2026 in his opening four league appearances of the new campaign. Even so, his running power and drive make him a regular starter. Dortmund have no obvious like-for-like replacement.
Svensson, Bensebaini and the inexperienced Kaua Prates are the other natural full-backs in the squad. Bensebaini is primarily planned for central-defensive work. Kovac has also developed forward Maximilian Beier for a wider role, while Konstantinos Karetsas recently performed a similar job for Greece. Neither offers a straightforward solution at right wing-back.
The club had considered adding depth in summer, with young Polish player Marcel Regula close to joining late in the transfer window. Giannis Konstantelias’ injury shifted the priority towards a No. 10 instead, and Dortmund brought in Ethan Nwaneri.
Svensson offers Kovac a dependable option
Dortmund’s three-man defence and wing-back positions could again be stretched by the late international returns of Bensebaini and Gadou, alongside Schlotterbeck’s fitness problem. Svensson is the stabilising presence.
The Swede does not provide the most eye-catching attacking output from the left, but his work without the ball is valued. He closes spaces, makes quiet clearances and reads defensive situations well. His versatility is another advantage for Kovac.
Sweden coach Graham Potter recently highlighted that quality, saying Svensson is intelligent enough to understand any role he is given and still use his strengths. With Ryerson’s condition unresolved, that flexibility could matter immediately against Bremen.
