Gotze to be left out of Dortmund friendly

Borussia Dortmund's pre-season friendly with Rot-Weiss Essen will not see the return to action of playmaker Mario Gotze.

Mario Gotze will not be risked in Borussia Dortmund's first pre-season friendly on Tuesday, coach Peter Bosz has confirmed.

Gotze has returned to training after recovering from a metabolic disorder that has kept the 25-year-old out of action since February.

Dortmund are preparing to get their pre-season campaign under way against Rot-Weiss Essen but Gotze will not be considered for selection, Bosz said, as he readied himself to take charge of Dortmund for the first time.

"Mario was ill for a long time and didn't train for five months," Bosz said. "I'm not going to bring him in yet, it's too early. You have to be careful with these things."