Gotze might return for Champions League final

German giants Borussia Dortmund are confident star playmaker Mario Gotze will return for their Champions League final against Bayern Munich at Wembley on May 25th.

Gotze has not played a game since hurting his thigh in Dortmund’s semi-final second leg clash against Real Madrid.

“Right now it looks like Gotze could be ready for the final [on 25 May],” Dortmund boss Jurgen Klopp said. “His recovery is going according to plan.”

“We will intensify training gradually during the week and the plan is for him to join the team training next week,” Klopp added. “Then we will see if it is good enough.”

It was announced in April that the 20-year-old would be making a £31.5m switch to rivals Bayern. The fee required to trigger the release clause in Gotze’s contract means he will become the most expensive German player of all time when he moves to the Bavarian giants on the 1st of July.

With two Bundesliga titles under his belt since his debut in November 2009, Gotze has been instrumental in his side’s success.

He has only missed one European game this entire season in Dortmund’s run to their first ever appearance in a Champions League decider in over 16 years, scoring two goals.

Gotze has been labelled as having “the same assets” as world player of the year Lionel Messi by Germany legend Franz Beckenbauer.

Source: BBC Sport