By Melody Gross 
After withdrawing from competition due to a malignant tumor in his testicles, Sebastian Haller gave a touching interview to ESPN in the Netherlands, talking about the moment he was diagnosed with the disease, his family’s reaction and the struggle he faces.
“I fell in Dortmund and everything was fine. One day I felt something uncomfortable in my stomach and since then things have gone really fast. The next day I had an MRI at 9 am and was told, ‘We are seeing something and we have to see it again. “I did a lot of tests in less than 24 hours. We had to wait for the surgery to find out exactly what it was. I was very happy that I was able to do all those tests so quickly”, recalls the Ivorian striker.
Haller had just moved from Ajax to Borussia Dortmund. My first thought was, ‘I’ve been here for ten days and two weeks and haven’t played for the club yet’. But then, when we think about it, we know it’s something that is impossible to avoid.”
The 28-year-old also explained what it is like when he tells his family that he is sick. My wife was in shock, but she managed to deal with it. But it was not the same with my mother, of course. Because the mother is the mother. I called my siblings to make sure they would be with her to support her and she would be okay. That’s what I did.”
In the past few weeks, Haller started treatment and the effect on the body was immediate. “At the beginning of the treatment I was in the hospital for five days and receiving IV treatment 24/24. We can’t do anything, we can’t move and we can’t get out of bed. At this time we lose our muscles and our physical shape. But now I feel really good. The day that I got home, started walking and got back to work at the gym. Even if it’s not on the same level as it was a few months ago, that’s a good sign.”
Sebastian Haller expressed his hope to win this difficult match, and expressed his desire for a future that is not far off, as he hopes. “My first goal is to get back on the field, and to score my first against the yellow wall,” he said, referring to the legendary bench behind one of the goals at the Borussia Dortmund stadium.