Demba Ba on the comeback trail

The Senegalese on Thursday joined in training as a free man in a five-on-three game, but, as athletics coach Yannick Obenauer noted, "Without bodily contact."

After his short stint back in first team training, Ba completed his usual rehabilitation program with athletics and rehabilitations trainer Christof Elser on the edge of the training pitch.

On the exercise schedule for the 25-year-old were coordination and strengthening exercises, with the hope that he can be gradually re-introduced to training with his teammates in the coming weeks.

Next door however it was business as usual for his fellow squad members. The pace of their training game, where just six goals were scored, was somewhat higher than their 10:0 friendly victory on Wednesday evening against Ober-Ramstadt.