Kagawa back at Dortmund

Posted Saturday, September 13, 2014 by Foxsports.com

Shinji Kagawa will make his return to the Bundesliga this weekend when Borussia Dortmund host Freiburg.

The Japan international returned to the Westphalian club after their last game before the international break, ending a disappointing two years at Manchester United.

Back in familiar surroundings, he has been guaranteed a role to play this weekend.

"We can't wait for another two weeks," said Dortmund coach Jurgen Klopp at a press conference.

"Shinji is going to be important for us right away.

"He's made a good impression and it seems he's still got some files from his time here left on his hard drive.

"I won't say whether he will be in the starting XI, but he's going to get his minutes."

Kagawa will benefit from an injury to Marco Reus to make his second Dortmund debut on Saturday, with the Westphalians keen to build on their first win of the season at Augsburg two weeks ago.

That win reduced the deficit on defending champions Bayern Munich to a point, with the Bavarians hosting Stuttgart in a south Germany derby at the Allianz Arena.

Bayern are among a clutch of sides on four points, including surprise package Paderborn, whose 3-0 win at Hamburg last time out provided one of the biggest stories of the season so far.

They host fellow promoted club Cologne, who have also won one and drawn one of their first two games of the campaign, while Hoffenheim meet Wolfsburg, Eintracht Frankfurt entertain Augsburg and Hannover face struggling Hamburg.

Elsewhere, there is a North-Rhine Westphalian derby between Borussia Monchengladbach and Schalke on Saturday evening, with winless Hertha Berlin and Mainz both meeting in this weekend's other fixture.