Sahin stated that it wasn't a systematic issue.
Borussia Dortmund's Coach Nuri Sahin was left in a state of disarray post-match after their 2:5 defeat against Real Madrid. Even with a comfortable 2:0 lead at halftime, Dortmund's performance in the second half was disastrous. Conceding five goals was a turn of events Sahin didn't anticipate.
After the match, Sahin appeared composed with his tie intact, but his team was far from it. "It's hard to believe we were leading 2:0 at halftime," Sahin said, reflecting on their disappointing performance. The late goals they conceded, he believed, were unjustified. "We should have maintained our lead," he added.
Sahin's substitution strategy came under scrutiny after Dortmund's first defeat in the Champions League. In the 55th and 64th minute, he replaced Jamie Gittens and Donyell Malen, both goal scorers, with Pascal Groß and Waldemar Anton. His intention was to tighten the defense and make it easier to retreat. However, it backfired, as Dortmund was overwhelmed by Real Madrid, particularly by Vinicius Junior who scored three goals.
"The substitutions didn't work as expected," Sahin conceded, "but I believe the system change wasn't the issue. We lost control." He was unsure if the team lacked courage in the second half. "I'm not quite sure," he said.
Midfielder Felix Nmecha, who was strong in the first half but was substituted at 2:2, shared Sahin's frustration. "We had control in the first half, but we didn't maintain it in the second. We stopped playing our game," he said. "Against Real Madrid, you know they'll score at home," he added.
Borussia Dortmund advisor Matthias Sammer watched the second half unfold with disbelief. "We need to show more intangible factors on the pitch," he said, criticizing Dortmund's transparent and predictable playstyle. However, he didn't entirely blame Dortmund for the collapse. "We all need to take responsibility for this defeat," he added.
Sahin expressed his disappointment in the team's performance, stating, "Despite our lead in the Champions League, we failed to maintain it, and it cost us dearly." Furthermore, he mentioned, "This defeat in the Champions League is a setback, but we must learn from our mistakes and bounce back stronger in our next match."
