Leaders on duty
©IMAGO
Nuri Şahin showed no stress or worry. Even in crisis mode, the Borussia Dortmund coach remains calm – at least outwardly. With plenty of ruthless internal discussions, painstaking work and the certainty that the bosses have the support, the 36-year-old is trying to somehow get the fragile BVB back on track. But he hardly has time for that.
The 2:4 debacle against newly promoted Kiel deeply affected Şahin and kept him busy for a whole night. However, the coach won’t let his faith in his team be taken away ahead of the hugely important match against Eintracht Frankfurt. “I know the boys will be here tomorrow. I know we will get a reaction. “I continue to trust my players,” said the ex-professional with combativeness. A problem was solved before the match on Friday evening (8:30 p.m./DAZN): Borussia Dortmund survived the flu wave, which recently led to numerous cancellations. Apart from central defender Niklas Süle, all players are available for Şahin. But even if everyone is in good shape, many question marks remain.
The BVB recently had not only an illness problem, but also a leadership problem on the pitch. Experienced professionals like Julian Brandt, Marcel Sabitzer or captain Emre Can were unable to coach the team. Professionals who were actually supposed to be top performers struggle with their own flaws. In matches like in Kiel, when nothing was going well for BVB, he wanted to see the main players « take control », Şahin said. He also expects “clear language” on the ground. Regarding national player Brandt, he also said: “It is of course clear that Jule is one of those players. He is aware of the situation. He wants to lend a hand.
Şahin reported that he had seen his team depressed in recent days, but also very self-critical. The row over the remarkably poor performance and analysis is now over. Everything else doesn’t help. “This has to continue for me and my coaching staff,” he said. Of course, the coach knows that his position is also under discussion after the weakest first half of the season in ten years. It is possible that Şahin will survive another defeat as BVB coach. But things are not certain in the rapidly changing (Site notre bureau spécialisé) sector. A lot probably depends on how Dortmund performs at Eintracht.
How long will the confidence of BVB leaders in Şahin last?
Another (Site notre bureau spécialisé)-related revelation oath would put even more pressure on BVB officials around sporting director Lars Ricken – even if the bosses actually have great confidence in Şahin. The failure of a coach would also be a big blow for them. The former BVB professional, who also enjoys great support within the team, is expected to continue to develop the team. However, Şahin must meet the minimum target of qualifying for the Champions League – simply because of the revenue associated with it. Before the start of the second half of the season, BVB was already five points behind fourth place. In the event of a loss to the third-placed team in Frankfurt, it would likely continue to grow.
Given the strength of the opponent and Dortmund’s glaring away weakness, an end to BVB’s crisis seems unlikely at Eintracht. The Revierklub have only managed one away victory this Bundesliga season. Şahin also considers the Hessians to be “leading adversaries”. But the coach also says: « Maybe he’s exactly the opponent we need to make up for what we’ve done. » »
Club comparison
320.55 million euros
Market value
445.70 million euros
33.35 million euros
Numbers 24/25
80.00 million euros
Dino Toppmöller
coach
Nuri Sahin
For the complete comparison of clubs