Tense mood: BVB hopes for a turnaround
Stormy times are looming in Dortmund. That is why BVB coach Edin Terzic felt little desire to return to business as usual after the two-week international break. The soccer coach used the return of the international players to come to terms with the recent slump with just one point from three games.
"We don't want to leave it like that," said Terzic at the first joint training session since the disastrous performance in Stuttgart (1:2). He hopes that his references to the long list of shortcomings will already have a positive effect in the western classic against Borussia Mönchengladbach on Saturday (3.30pm/Sky): "It's about drawing the right conclusions - and showing that."
A win could help to calm the waters ahead of the general meeting on Sunday and give them courage for Tuesday's Champions League match at AC Milan. Fearing further setbacks, the 41-year-old put the onus on his professionals at the start of the busy remaining program until Christmas: "Now the next block begins with eight games in 25 days. We have to start it with a really good performance."
Three games to forget
In the space of two weeks, the runners-up squandered their previously good starting position in the games against Frankfurt (3:3), Munich (0:4) and Stuttgart, leaving them eight points behind FC Bayern alone. League leaders Leverkusen, their opponents in the away game on December 3, are already ten points adrift. For Salih Özcan, the growing unrest in the squad is therefore only logical: "It doesn't feel good after the defeat in Stuttgart. We are rightly under pressure," the midfielder said in the "Copa TS" podcast.
Even the recent impressive home series against Mönchengladbach with nine wins in nine games and 32:5 goals cannot dispel the skepticism for Saturday. Terzic believes his team has a duty to deliver: "I expect us to come into the game in a completely different way and not lose four balls in the first minute because we are surprised by our opponent's tenacity. We don't need a goal against or an opponent's penalty to wake us up."
Nmecha out for a long time, Can returns
The long absence of injured new signing Felix Nmecha until the start of the second half of the season is likely to make it difficult to catch up. However, Emre Can returns to the squad after several weeks out and could provide more stability in defensive midfield.
To sharpen the senses of his professionals, Terzic pointed to Gladbach's upward trend. After picking up just two points from their first five games of the season, coach Gerardo Seoane's team recorded a further eleven points from their subsequent six matches and climbed into the top half of the table. "Not only have they integrated some new players, they also have a new coach. Sometimes it takes longer. If you look at their recent performances and results, they are very good and stable," warned the BVB coach.
Terzic emphasized the importance of Borussia Dortmund's upcoming game against Borussia Mönchengladbach, as a win could boost their morale before the general meeting and the Champions League match at AC Milan. He urged his team to draw the right conclusions from their recent slump and deliver a strong performance.
In preparation for the challenging schedule ahead, the Dortmund coach highlighted the importance of starting the next block of eight games in 25 days with a good performance, particularly considering their disappointing results against Frankfurt, Munich, and Stuttgart.
Source: www.dpa.com
