- BVB coach Sahin: "They are still on their honeymoon"
New Dortmund coach Nuri Sahin believes his team is on the right track ahead of their first competitive game of the new season. "We're still in the honeymoon phase. But in every training session, I feel like everyone knows what they're doing. You can see where we're headed. The direction is right," praised the successor to Edin Terzic.
Preparation for the seemingly easy task in the first round of the DFB Cup on Saturday (6:00 PM) against football Regionalligists Phoenix Lübeck has reportedly been just as professional as it will be for the first league game a week later against Eintracht Frankfurt: "We know exactly what they play. We're very meticulous and don't underestimate the opponent in any way."
The underdog from Lübeck will travel from their home Buniamshof to the big Hamburg Volkspark for the duel with the Champions League finalists. Thousands of fans are expected to attend.
Sahin raves about new signing Beier
Apart from the still-injured striker Serhou Guirassy, Sahin can rely on his best lineup. Whether the newly signed Maximilian Beier from TSG 1899 Hoffenheim will also be in the starting lineup remains to be seen. Sahin made no secret of his great appreciation for the versatile offensive player, who cost around 30 million euros: "Maxi was my absolute dream player. He had other offers that weren't uninteresting, but he wanted to come to us. He's a player who will bring us a lot of quality and bring us to a good level."
Despite recent headlines about alleged failed negotiations with Olympique Marseille, young star Youssoufa Moukoko is also likely to be part of the cup squad. The 19-year-old is reportedly considering a transfer due to dissatisfaction with his playing time. "The current status is that he is a full member of our squad and an important player," commented Sahin.
The Champions League finalists, BVB, are set to face the underdog from Lübeck in the DFB Cup. Sahin has high praise for their new signing Maximilian Beier, who joined from TSG 1899 Hoffenheim, calling him an "absolute dream player" who will bring quality to their team.
