The frustration was deep at Borussia Dortmund after the 1:2 in Leipzig – especially for captain Marco Reus Within four days, two painful defeats for the BVB, which is increasingly suffering from a loss of substance. But there is hope for a speedy improvement. But that is also necessary.
Marco Reus didn’t mince his words on Saturday night when he analysed his Borussia’s 2-1 defeat at RB Leipzig. The frustration was audibly deep for the BVB captain in the first moments after the final whistle. So deep, in fact, that he gave it free rein in an interview with Sky, saying things about the basic order at the start of the game that could certainly be interpreted as criticism of coach Marco Rose. Apparently unintentionally, because Reus immediately sought dialogue with his direct superior, with whom he generally maintains a close relationship. Everything is okay between the two of them. “
Not yet extinguished, however, is the anger among the Black and Yellows over a defeat that all Borussians rated as deserved – and that hurt especially. “We didn’t really take place for 50 minutes and we were running behind a lot,” Zorc analysed the game after a short night. Dortmund had not been able to counter Leipzig’s high intensity and had also made too many mistakes in their own possession. “It was not a good game from us and therefore a deserved victory for Leipzig. “
Personelly tense situation
Unlike Rose, who did not want to accept the many injured players as the cause of Dortmund’s performance, Zorc included the strained personnel situation in his analysis. Especially the game against Amsterdam, which BVB had to play for 60 minutes with a shorthanded team and lost 3-1 in the end, had taken its toll. “A game like that is mentally exhausting,” said Zorc, “but it’s also physically exhausting. Especially as we always have the same players playing at the moment. “
After all, improvement is in sight: Raphael Guerreiro, Nico Schulz, Mahmoud Dahoud, Emre Can and Marius Wolf will gradually resume training in the coming days. One or the other of them should be available again directly after the international break – and thus increase Rose’s options.
However, this will also be necessary – because the pressure on BVB is growing due to the recent defeats. Especially in the top flight. A “huge programme” awaits until the winter break, said Zorc on Sunday, and combined this with a demand: “We have to see that we tighten up. “
Malen “must also work on his mindset “
Donyell Malen also felt addressed by these words. BVB’s summer newcomer lacked almost everything in Leipzig, was neither a factor offensively nor in his work against the ball. “For Donny, it’s about getting used to the Bundesliga, to the pace, to the physicality,” Rose said on Saturday about the Dutchman and then publicly demanded more from the 30-million-euro purchase for the first time: “He also has to work on his mindset. It’s important that he also uses energy against the ball to win balls and then get into other situations.” He added that they had to work on that with him – also to “convince him that it is important for him to be better in the game overall”. Zorc echoed his coach’s words on Sunday. Malen was not yet showing what had been hoped for. But: “Donny has all the skills – and we have patience. “
