Things are about to get tough for Borussia Dortmund
After the successful comeback against Borussia Mönchengladbach, the anger at BVB has dissipated. This fuels confidence for the game in Milan - and helps to ensure a harmonious general meeting. However, all is not well at the Black & Yellows.
Hans-Joachim Watzke took to the lectern with a flourish. The Borussia Dortmund managing director was clearly relieved not to have to explain the next bitter setback. But at the Black & Yellows' annual general meeting in the Westfalenhalle, even the boss did not paint a rosy picture. After the hard-fought 4:2 (3:2) against Borussia Mönchengladbach, doubts remain at the runners-up.
"We had hoped for two or three points more at this point. But we don't have to go out in sackcloth and ashes. But that doesn't mean that everything is fine," said Watzke, dressed in a gray suit and white shirt. The fickle team around captain Emre Can had previously only been greeted with reserved applause from the 850 or so members - despite the successful start to the Weeks of Truth. The mood remains tense.
"Showed comeback qualities again"
After trailing 2-0 and a desolate first half-hour, the mentality was at least right. "We showed comeback qualities again. It's a characteristic of the team this season," said sporting director Sebastian Kehl. Dortmund have already collected an impressive eleven points in the league after falling behind. But they are still running behind the music at the top. League leaders Bayer Leverkusen are ten points adrift and FC Bayern are already eight points away. However, coach Edin Terzić thought it was "extremely important that we start the next block with a win".
Marcel Sabitzer (30'), Niclas Füllkrug (32') and the strong Jamie Bynoe-Gittens (45') turned the game around before the break. Donyell Malen (90.+7) put the lid on it with an empty Gladbach goal. "The win," admitted Kehl, was important "to calm things down". After the defeats against Bayern and in Stuttgart, it had been "not an easy few days". Kehl countered speculation of discord between him, Watzke and Terzić: "You go through it together, you stick together and trust each other."
"We trust this team"
However, the mood at the club between now and the winter break will largely depend on how the club performs in the tough schedule over the coming weeks. A win on Tuesday at top Italian club AC Milan would have secured BVB's ticket to the last 16 of the Champions League ahead of time. Leverkusen and Leipzig await in the league, with Stuttgart in the DFB Cup in between. "We have confidence in this team," assured Kehl. Encouraged by the win, Watzke is now also looking forward to the clash with Leverkusen with confidence: "We have the opportunity on Sunday to see whether they really can't be beaten."
However, the team's defensive performance only justifies this confidence to a limited extent. Eleven goals have been conceded in the last four league games - and it could have been even more. "It's definitely not going to be boring with us this season," joked Terzić, before paying his team a big compliment for "their morale, energy and belief". That applied first and foremost to Bynoe-Gittens. The 19-year-old was BVB's most eye-catching player. "Jamie showed a great game. But what he showed was only a rudimentary reflection of his potential. If he continues to help us like this, then we'll be happy," said Terzic. And Watzke could be even more energetic.
- Despite the victory against Borussia Mönchengladbach, Borussia Dortmund's inability to secure more points in the Soccer Bundesliga has caused concerns for Edin Terzic and Hans-Joachim Watzke, as they now face a tough challenge against AC Milan in the Champions League and critical matches against Bayer Leverkusen and RB Leipzig in the league.
- Edin Terzic praised Borussia Dortmund's comeback qualities, citing their ability to collect 11 points in the Bundesliga after falling behind, but highlighted that their defensive performance needs improvement, having conceded 11 goals in the last four league games, including against Borussia Mönchengladbach.
Source: www.ntv.de
