Zorc set for Dortmund as hope rises for Hiroki Ito at Bayern Munich

Admin I Tuesday, October 08, 2024

 

MUNICH – Former Borussia Dortmund player and official Michael Zorc is set to return to the Bundesliga club as he has been named a candidate for a place on their supervisory board just as hope rises for Hiroki Ito at Bayern Munich.

Dortmund said on Monday that Zorc was a candidate for the election in November at the club’s assembly where two vacancies are to be filled.

Zorc, 62, spent his entire playing career in Dortmund for a club record 463 Bundesliga matches between 1981 and 1998, winning two league titles and the Champions League. He then became sporting director until he stepped down in 2022.

In another development, Bayern Munich summer signing defender Hiroki Ito has taken the next step in his comeback from a foot fracture, but the German club also has fresh injury concerns around other players.

Japan centre back Ito arrived from Bundesliga runners-up VfB Stuttgart but is yet to play a competitive game for Bayern because he suffered a broken metatarsal in a pre-season friendly at the end of July.

However, Bayer said on Monday that he is drawing another step closer towards playing.

“The next big step towards making his comeback … FC Bayern defender Hiroki Ito is back training with the ball. FCB’s summer signing completed an individual session on the training pitch at Säbener Strasse on Monday morning,” a club statement said.

Another Bayern centre back, Dayot Upamecano, is however sidelined with a hamstring injury he sustained during Sunday’s 3-3 Bundesliga draw at Eintracht Frankfurt where he was substituted late in the game.

The French Football Federation announced the injury on Monday, saying he has withdrawn from the squad for Nations League matches against Israel and Belgium.

Bayern also had England striker Harry Kanne go off again in Frankfurt with what appeared to be a thigh muscle problem, and substitute Mathys Tel has reportedly suffered a shoulder injury.

The club has so far not released a statement on the injury situation. Bayern’s next match is after the international break on October 19 against Stuttgart.