According to Ruhr Nachrichten, neither Filippo Mane nor Luca Reggiani will be in the first-team squad for Saturday's difficult away game in the capital.
Instead, both young defenders are expected to play for the reserves against SC Wiedenbrück in the Regionalliga West.
The decision is surprising given that Nico Schlotterbeck sat out Wednesday's Champions League match against Bodö/Glimt to manage his workload. The vice-captain injured his ankle while with the national team, yet still made a surprise start against Werder Bremen last Friday. Whether he's fully fit again remains in doubt.
Alongside Schlotterbeck, Waldemar Anton and impressive new signing Joane Gadou are likely to start in the back three. That would leave Ramy Bensebaini as the only backup. He replaced Schlotterbeck in the starting line-up in Norway on Wednesday and turned in a solid, alert performance.
Against the Iron Ones on Saturday, the centre-backs can ill afford any problems. Otherwise, Kovac's decision to play with fire could backfire badly.
Where do Reggiani and Mane stand at Borussia Dortmund?
Last weekend, Mane and Reggiani played for the Borussia Dortmund reserves against Wattenscheid, presumably to finally get some playing time. Mane, who had previously been sidelined with a muscle injury, started before Reggiani replaced him after the break. Reggiani had spent another 90 minutes on the bench against Werder Bremen the previous evening.
First-team minutes have been scarce for both centre-backs this season. Mane has at least managed 138 minutes across three appearances. Reggiani, one of last season's surprise emerging players, has made just two appearances, totalling 50 minutes.
By the summer, it had already become clear that Mane would move ahead of Reggiani in the internal centre-back pecking order. In the second half of last season, serious injury problems and the shocking departure of loan player Aaron Anselmino gave Reggiani his chance. He broke into the first team and even started eight of a possible 16 competitive matches. In mid-March, he scored his first Bundesliga goal against FC Augsburg and subsequently earned a professional contract.
The tables turned in the summer: Mane was suddenly ahead, and Gadou's arrival reduced Reggiani's chances of playing for the first team to a minimum. The Italian turned down a possible move in the summer, but he is now said to have had a change of heart, with a winter transfer considered likely.
A winter transfer could bring Borussia Dortmund a substantial sum. AC Milan and Inter Milan are said to have made enquiries in the summer, while Reggiani reportedly turned down an offer from Southampton FC on deadline day.
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