Emre Can spent four seasons at Liverpool after joining the club from Bayer Leverkusen in 2014.
The Germany international quickly became an important part of the midfield at Anfield and went on to make 167 appearances for the Reds in all competitions, scoring 14 goals.
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Can’s final season on Merseyside ended with Liverpool reaching the Champions League final in 2018. He left the club that summer after his contract expired and joined Juventus, before moving to Borussia Dortmund in January 2020.
The midfielder has since become one of the senior figures at Dortmund. He has been the club’s captain and signed a contract extension in March that will keep him at the Bundesliga club until June 2027.
His preparations for the new season, however, have been severely disrupted by injury.
Emre Can suffered a cruciate ligament tear in his left knee during Dortmund’s 3-2 Bundesliga defeat by Bayern Munich on February 28 and was ruled out for several months.
Dortmund have now confirmed a significant decision over Can ahead of their return to the Champions League.
The club has submitted its squad for the 2026-27 league phase, with Can absent from the list. Dortmund published the nominated players on Friday, confirming that the captain will not be available for the opening phase of their European campaign.
The decision comes while Can continues his rehabilitation from the knee injury. Dortmund had been working towards his return, with reports in July indicating that the club hoped he could play again during the first half of the season, although no specific comeback date had been established.
That possibility has not been enough for Can to make Dortmund’s initial Champions League squad. His absence means the German club will begin the league phase without its captain and one of its most experienced players.
Dortmund’s published squad includes 29 players, among them former Liverpool target Jobe Bellingham, Carney Chukwuemeka and new signing Ethan Nwaneri. Gregor Kobel, Nico Schlotterbeck, Marcel Sabitzer, Felix Nmecha, Serhou Guirassy and Joey Veerman are also included.
Can is not the only notable absentee. New signing Giannis Konstantelias and 18-year-old Justin Lerma are also missing from the Champions League squad, with both players dealing with injuries.
Reports from Germany state that Dortmund have submitted 24 players on their List A, leaving one place unused from the 25-player maximum.
There is still a route back into the competition for Emre Can if his rehabilitation progresses as hoped.
UEFA rules allow clubs that reach the knockout phase to make changes to their squad, with up to three new players eligible to be registered for that stage.
Dortmund will open their Champions League campaign against Villarreal at home on September 8. The club’s official announcement confirmed the fixture as its first European match of the 2026-27 season.
For now, though, the former Liverpool midfielder will have to watch from the sidelines as Dortmund begin their European campaign.
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