Borussia Dortmund suffered a painful night in more ways than one as Ramy Bensebaini endured a heavy physical toll during the club’s 1-2 German Super Cup defeat to Bayern Munich. Fabio Silva pulled a goal back for Dortmund late on, but ultimately Bayern held firm to lift a record 12th Super Cup trophy at Signal Iduna Park, extending their dominance in the fixture.
Freak Collision Leaves Bensebaini Battling Pain
Bensebaini absorbed an accidental knee from teammate Waldemar Anton during a first-half challenge. Although he initially believed the knock was minor, the pain gradually worsened as the match wore on. Because manager Niko Kovac had already used all three of his substitutions, Bensebaini had little choice but to continue playing through visible discomfort. He was subsequently sent to hospital for scans once the final whistle blew, where a bruised rib was diagnosed according to Bild. Meanwhile, Anton himself nearly made amends late on, setting up a good chance that ultimately went unconverted.
Late Red Card Adds To Miserable Night
Then, deep into stoppage time, matters grew worse for the Algerian defender. Referee Daniel Schlager issued Bensebaini a straight red card following a reckless challenge on Bayern’s summer signing Ismael Saibari, reducing Dortmund to ten men in the closing stages. Sporting director Ole Book felt afterward that the decision had been unnecessarily harsh. Fortunately for Dortmund, the suspension will not affect Bensebaini’s Bundesliga availability, since Super Cup dismissals instead carry over to the DFB-Pokal. As a result, he remains eligible for next weekend’s league opener against Hamburger SV, although his fitness following the rib injury remains uncertain, and Dortmund’s coaching staff will monitor his recovery closely in the coming days.
Despite the frustrating outcome, Bensebaini’s willingness to fight through discomfort for the team underlined his commitment and leadership within the squad. Dortmund will therefore hope for better fortune as attention quickly turns to the new Bundesliga campaign, where a stronger start will be essential after this costly and eventful defeat.
