After Borussia Dortmund’s bitter 4-1 defeat against RB Leipzig, the leading players are the focus of criticism. Record national player Lothar Matthäus highlighted the achievements of Marco Reus and Mats Hummels, but at the same time suggested a farewell to the BVB duo.
“When players get to a certain age, I feel reminded of my own career,” explains Lothar Matthäus in his column for “Sky”.
In 2000 he had “moved from FC Bayern to a so-called operetta league in America” because “mentally he was simply no longer able” to keep up the level in Munich.
The 60-year-old now sees that problem with BVB captain Marco Reus and Mats Hummels. Also “the ravages of time are gnawing on them, injuries are increasing, the pace is suffering and with a lack of rhythm and continuity, the performance is also getting worse”.
Farewell to BVB? Matthew suggests Reus and Hummel’s farewell
Matthäus does not know the plans of the two Dortmunders, but “can imagine that it is not easy for their superiors Kehl and Zorc or the trainers Rose and Zickler to talk to them about the future and possibly suggest that they take on another task to search”. Ultimately, however, the players themselves would have to ask themselves how they should continue at BVB.
“Perhaps,” Matthäus continues, “a new adventure isn’t the worst idea after all.”
Marco Reus and Mats Hummels each have a contract with BVB until 2023. Reus even made his 350th competitive game for the black and yellow against Leipzig, his tally of 153 goals and 108 assists is outstanding. Even in the current season, in which Dortmund will ultimately remain without a title, the 32-year-old is the second-best BVB player with 19 points.
Teammate Hummels was slowed down by problems with the patella tendon this season. Nevertheless, he has been on the pitch in 22 Bundesliga games so far.
Matthäus: Terzic “ignited more euphoria” than Rose
Meanwhile, Lothar Matthäus explicitly included coach Marco Rose in his criticism of BVB’s “cruel” performance this season. Nevertheless, it is not his fault if his players “lose the ball with a risky dribbling”.
The “skyThe expert nonetheless stated: “One must also say that Edin Terzic aroused more euphoria and enthusiasm in the weeks in which he trained the team and certainly didn’t let worse football be played.” However, according to Matthäus, this is “not a demand for a new or old coach”.