Head coach Miron Muslić has made clear how much he values the midfielder, who had been a regular starter before being sidelined.
“He is super important for Schalke. Before his injury, he performed consistently and always started,” Muslić said.
Ljubičić sustained the injury during Schalke’s 3-1 victory away to Union Berlin on 11 September. He was forced off during the first half and subsequently missed a run of matches while recovering.
The Austrian has since resumed team training, a significant step towards returning to competitive action. However, training with the squad does not automatically mean he is ready to play from the start.
Schalke’s official update before their recent league fixture against Cologne said the games against Cologne and Dresden would come too soon for him. Muslić instead identified the following home match against RB Leipzig as a possible target, provided the midfielder continued to progress.
That assessment complicates the suggestion that Ljubičić could immediately return to the starting line-up against Dresden. His involvement will depend on his condition and the club’s assessment of the risk after his spell on the sidelines.
Schalke travel to face Dynamo on Wednesday, 28 October, with kick-off scheduled for 18:00 local time. The second-round tie offers the club an opportunity to move closer to the latter stages of the German cup, but Muslić has had to manage several fitness concerns during the build-up.
Ljubičić’s return would provide another option in midfield, particularly given the importance the coach places on his consistency and contribution before the injury.
For now, the key development is that the 29-year-old has returned to training. Whether that progress is enough for a place in the squad against Dresden remains a separate question, with the Leipzig fixture having previously been discussed as a more realistic comeback target.