The big changes, the new players, the new system: Dortmund’s Nuri Sahin does not accept any of this as an explanation after the 0:0 draw in Bremen. The new coach has high standards – and says so clearly.
The game in Bremen had not even been played for ten minutes when Nuri Sahin raised both arms in anger for the first time. And that feeling was not to change much until the end of the day.
Borussia Dortmund started the Bundesliga season this summer with a new coach, new sporting management, a new game system and a significantly changed squad. All of this sometimes requires a little time and patience. But it was the new BVB coach Sahin himself who did not allow any of this to be a mitigating circumstance for the weak 0-0 draw at Werder Bremen.
“As Borussia Dortmund, we have to perform differently, even if the team has undergone changes and has a new coach,” said the 35-year-old. “For us, this point today is obviously far too little.”
Unlike Terzic
Whether consciously or not, Sahin has distanced himself from his predecessor Edin Terzic for the first time after just three competitive games of the new season. Despite almost winning the championship in 2023 and reaching the Champions League final in 2024, the latter was accused internally by some players of sometimes being too cautious and tactically even “so submissive” (Mats Hummels).
Sahin, who was promoted from assistant coach to head coach, immediately embodied the self-image required in Bremen. The personnel restructuring, the change in direction in a 3-4-2-1 system: “That is a process, of course. But at Borussia Dortmund this process has to go faster,” he said. “It would be a very cheap excuse to say that it was due to the transfer period.”
Dortmund’s reorientation is currently taking place on several levels. The new sports director, Lars Ricken, explained this again this weekend in a major interview with the “Süddeutsche Zeitung”.
The five top transfers that BVB made for around 80 million euros always immediately catch the eye, with German national striker Maximilian Beier making a very inconspicuous debut in the starting eleven in Bremen. But just as significant is the fact that Dortmund have massively reduced their squad in order to give young players like Jamie Gittens (20) and Kjell Wätjen (18) more playing time.
In Bremen, this led to a problem for the first time. All four defenders received a yellow card early on and Sahin could only substitute one of them due to a lack of alternatives on the bench. Nico Schlotterbeck stayed on the field, later received a yellow-red card (73′) – and the usual injuries or suspensions in a long season had not even occurred in this scenario.
Squad too small?
However, on this topic, Sahin put himself before his team. “We have many players who can be used in a variety of positions,” he said. “I think we are very well prepared and I am happy to work with a smaller squad.”
Lars Ricken revealed who BVB is looking to for guidance in this planning: “We obviously compare things like this internationally,” he said in the SZ interview. With clubs like Barcelona or Benfica, “who always manage to represent a mix of established players and many very young professionals who can shape the future and create value for the club.”
The demands in Dortmund have always been high. Under Sahin and Ricken, they are now being formulated more clearly again.
Source: Stern
I am Pierce Boyd, a driven and ambitious professional working in the news industry. I have been writing for 24 Hours Worlds for over five years, specializing in sports section coverage. During my tenure at the publication, I have built an impressive portfolio of articles that has earned me a reputation as an experienced journalist and content creator.
