The wronged Borussia Dortmund stands against the controversial discussion
There's been a positive vibe at Borussia Dortmund for a while, but the 5-1 drubbing in Stuttgart has intensified the stress. Only a victory against Bochum can aid in lessening the rising uncertainty. Two promising youngsters might be incorporated into the team.
Nuri Şahin was back to his cheerful self, but the crushing defeat against VfB Stuttgart was still preoccupying the Borussia Dortmund coach's thoughts. "Was that the longest press conference ever, does it always go like this after losses?", Şahin asked after the media session, which predominantly focused on the 5-1 result against VfB instead of the coming challenge on Friday (8:30 PM on DAZN and in the live ticker on ntv.de) against VfL Bochum.
"We've reviewed and analyzed everything meticulously. I'd need an extensive period to explain what went wrong to you," Şahin pointed out: "In essence, everything went wrong." However, that doesn't automatically imply everything is negative. He sought to avoid stirring up a tedious debate at all costs. "It would be disastrous if I said the players have a mental issue. We're all in this together. We win and lose together. We're all in the same boat." He had observed a self-critical attitude from his team, a significant factor in the team's growth.
"The truth is always on the field"
"The truth is always on the field. We have to provide our answers there and demonstrate our development," the coach urged: "We're all accountable, that's our duty, that's why we have this job, that's why the players are with Borussia Dortmund, to meet the expectations of this club." And those expectations are high. Only a win in the home game against Bochum will suffice, otherwise, the distance to the top will be substantial early on. However, VfL will bring onto the field the qualities that BVB dislikes. "We of course want a response to this performance," Şahin said, aware that the game against Stuttgart can't be compensated for. He called for "an entirely different demeanor" and anticipates "an entirely different game" on Friday.
Şahin wasn't ruling out lineup adjustments. Potential newcomers could be the 18-year-old Belgian international Julien Duranville and the recent signing Maximilian Beier from TSG Hoffenheim. "We have to handle Julien with care due to his injury history. But we now think he's very close. The same goes for Maxi Beier. I was one of those who really wanted him. Both will be crucial for us this season," Şahin said.
However, back to the debacle in Stuttgart: "We knew there would be setbacks. Not to this extent, we didn't foresee it and didn't expect to play so poorly," Şahin said: "But now it's happened and now we look ahead. On Friday, it has to go in one direction. It's about the three points we want and need to obtain." Because he's not constructing a house of cards at BVB, and it's not like "we're going to demolish everything and start anew after one loss." On Friday, we'll see how resilient the current setup is.
The crushing defeat against VfB Stuttgart has been heavily on Borussia Dortmund's coach's mind, causing him concern even amid the cheerful atmosphere at the club. Nuri Şahin expressed his frustration over the extended focus on the 5-1 result at the media session, emphasizing the importance of the upcoming game against VfL Bochum.
Şahin's team is eager to respond to the poor performance against VfB Stuttgart and is looking forward to the arrival of two promising young talents, Julien Duranville and Maximilian Beier, who could provide a fresh perspective and strengthen the squad for the season.
