“We have brought home an awesome, emotional victory.” The joy about the furious comeback in Frankfurt was written all over Mats Hummels’ face directly after the end of the game. However, he doesn’t always feel like doing that.
“We played a great second half. You could see what we are capable of.” Emre Can said shortly after the final whistle in the ultimately turbulent 3:2 after trailing 0:2 at Frankfurt Eintracht in an interview with “Sky”. His partner in BVB’s central defence could only agree with him, saying that it was simply an “awesome, emotional victory.
Mats Hummels, who was back in charge of the defence for the start of the new year 2022 (he had a cold break in the 2:3 at Hertha BSC shortly before Christmas), also knew how to put his finger in the wound. Once again this season, BVB made life difficult for itself with mistakes and inattentiveness, especially in defence.
“We have to write this on our banner “
“It’s very exhausting,” Hummels admitted directly and added: “That’s just the really big issue for us, that we don’t give away goals for nothing. We are constantly conceding goals from situations where goals should not be conceded. I think that was the case with both goals today. That was the case two or three times in Berlin, even before that against Bayern. “
In the opinion of the 2014 World Cup winner, it is precisely the many gifts for the respective opponents – the Black and Yellows have already conceded 28 goals this season – that happen “far too often … far too often. And that’s why you don’t always win.” This stability is “something we have to be very proud of if we want to win anything”.
One example: Before the 0:1, Julian Brandt had given the ball away right back in the build-up before Can committed a clumsy foul. The result: a free-kick, a finish by Rafael Borré, who was too free, and a deficit in minute 15, although BVB had been in control until then. “We have told some stories a few times, unfortunately we repeat ourselves,” Hummels said. “Unfortunately, that’s how it is with us, it always happens. No one can be free of the fact that they don’t concede goals too easily – I’m one of them, too. But if we want to get to a level where we want to be, then that’s the most important thing. “
A club like Borussia Dortmund simply has to show full control of the game more regularly here, said Hummels: “We simply have to manage to make the game completely dominant.” Not just in phases. Because otherwise the next chapter of “Wild West football” is looming – and the 33-year-old is not always in the mood for that.
Hummels and the national team
Even though Hummels himself admits he is now “top fit” again after lengthy patella tendon problems in recent months. “I spent six months trying to get myself back to that level. But I’m pain-free now, I can finally go for the full 90 minutes again and I don’t have to torture myself. Now the body is where it should be. Now the quality just has to be there all the time.”
Will he then return to the DFB kit with national coach Hansi Flick? “I always want to perform and always have to perform. If I don’t do that, I’ve lost nothing there.” But he is not indifferent to a nomination: “I love playing for the national team, but I also want to play well and be a help.” And he has to show that consistently again in the future.
