Optimistic Borussia: Why there is a spirit of optimism at BVB

It is a small masterpiece that those responsible at Borussia Dortmund have achieved over the past few weeks.

When BVB last played a home game in the Westfalenstadion, the mood was melancholy, the overall sporting situation was unsatisfactory, and the former captain and long-time sports director Michael Zorc said goodbye after 44 years.

Tears flowed, memories of the beautiful experiences with the club icon mixed with a leaden sense of the present.

Once again, a season project that started with big announcements was disappointing, the tedious 2-1 win against Hertha BSC and second place in the table were at best small consolation.

The doubts about the players, about coach Marco Rose and increasingly about the future viability of this team, which had once again had no chance in the title race, were too massive.

special energy

Now three months have passed and the condition has changed fundamentally.

The new coach Edin Terzic is looking forward to the atmosphere in the Westfalenstadion, which he expects at the start of the season against Bayer Leverkusen on Saturday evening and which, after a phase of alienation caused by the pandemic, should again be characterized by mutual identification.

"This energy is something very special at this club," he says, and Zorc's successor Sebastian Kehl is confident, "that the people who come to the stadium have the feeling that there is a team on the pitch that gives their all tears herself apart who does everything to be successful".

Without even playing a really convincing game, a whole new optimism arose during the summer break, which was given an additional boost a week ago by the sovereign 3-0 in the DFB Cup at 1860 Munich.

Although there has often been talk of upheavals in Dortmund, it was announced in previous years that the realignment project would only be completed after two, three or four transfer periods.

Some of the great players who would become pillars of success at the end of the process were gone by then.

This summer they took up the fight against their own weaknesses with a whole new level of determination.

A bad feeling in the club management was enough in May for a rather surprising separation from coach Marco Rose, who was replaced by technical director Edin Terzic, a heart Dortmund resident.

With Kehl, a fresh head has inherited the legendary, but lately also somewhat tired-looking Zorc.

And around 100 million euros were invested in the squad for Sebastien Haller (31 million), Karim Adeyemi (30 million), Nico Schlotterbeck (20 million), Salih Özcan (six million) and Niklas Süle (earning money in an unknown amount).

The goal: There should finally be a team that can manage a longer winning streak, that plays dominant and exciting football in the better phases.

And perhaps even more important: the team should also know how to defend themselves in the difficult moments of the season.

In the talks with the newcomers, he consistently “had the feeling that they brought the right attitude and a high degree of identification,” says Kehl.

"They know what Borussia Dortmund stands for and what football should look like this season."

"Very mature, very mature"

Schlotterbeck and Özcan could even become real BVB heroes due to their passionate style of play, Jude Bellingham has been promoted to the team council and is the third captain.

The appearance of his team is currently "very mature, very mature," says Terzic.

Bellingham may still be a teenager, and the likes of Giovanni Reyna, 19, Schlotterbeck, 22, and Adeyemi, 20, are still young, but most professionals with starting XI ambitions have already gained a lot of experience at a high level.

And the aging Mats Hummels looks more motivated and fit than he has in a long time.

Overall, the Dortmund team hasn't gotten much older, but they seem more mature.

In order for BVB supporters to actually be able to dream of the German championship by the end of the season, Bayern must also play along.

In any case, Hans-Joachim Watzke is hoping for the moment when the permanent champion from Munich will finally show major weaknesses: "At some point it will crumble, at some point in the next few years it will collapse," said the managing director in a conversation with "Deutschlandfunk". the rival.

The faith is there, even the search for a replacement for striker Sebastien Haller, who is suffering from a malignant testicular tumor, shows how determined Dortmund are.

The new number nine is due to be presented next week, and Kehl, Terzic and Watzke are said to be dealing with big names.

The speculation ranges from superstars like Edinson Cavani (without a club), Edin Dzeko (Inter Milan), Memphis Depay (FC Barcelona) or Mauro Icardi (Paris St-Germain) to Anthony Modeste (1. FC Köln).

Money may be tight, but one of these top strikers may also be infected by the black and yellow energy and not only come to Dortmund primarily because of the high salary, but also because something exciting could develop here.