BVB 4 points behind FC Bayern
Borussia Dortmund is back in the title race in terms of points, but avoids corresponding announcements to FC Bayern. “Of course the table says something. But we all know how the season has gone so far, ”said coach Marco Rose before the game on Sunday (7.30 p.m. / DAZN) at 1. FC Köln, referring to the great fluctuations in form of his team in recent months. “It’s more than understandable that everyone is talking about a used season,” Rose confessed, referring to the early knockouts in the Champions League, Europa League and the DFB Cup.
Despite all the pride at the four-point gap to Munich, Rose referred to the tricky remaining program of second in the Bundesliga: “We have a tough away game ahead of us in Cologne, then Leipzig and at some point we’ll be going to Munich. It is important that we take care of ourselves. That’s not just a cliché and nobody has to talk about being silly.” Nonetheless, Rose was combative: “It’s always important for us to put our finger on the wound and demand sustainability. Not because I think we’ll get comfortable too quickly, but because I just want us to ignite the next level.” Despite not always convincing performances recently, BVB is one of the most in-form teams from the top 5 European leagues. The people of Munich, on the other hand, are only 16.
Although his team didn’t play convincingly against Bielefeld (1-0) and Mainz (1-0), the coach took the performances as a positive signal: “They were two performances that lived with a lot of passion. We have brought the basics completely to the pitch. Exactly these virtues create identification, that’s what we have set ourselves.” Rose expects a similar level of commitment from his pros on Sunday. “We need that 120 percent. Without that we don’t stand a chance at Baumi in Cologne,” he said before the duel with seventh in the table and trainer Steffen Baumgart.
However, Rose must continue to do without the sick captain Marco Reus in Cologne. In addition, Mahmoud Dahoud, who has been suspended, is missing. Mats Hummels and Raphaël Guerreiro are about to return to the squad after their corona infections, as well as Manuel Akanji, who has recovered from a muscle injury.
No Dortmund in the DFB squad: Rose understands Flick’s decision
Meanwhile, Rose understood that none of his charges were part of Germany’s recent squad for the internationals against Israel in Sinsheim on March 26 and the Netherlands in Amsterdam three days later. “For me it’s understandable and totally okay.”
The 26-man squad of the DFB against Israel and the Netherlands
According to his own statements, he is in a “good exchange” with national coach Hansi Flick. Rose referred to the current problems of the possible Dortmund national team candidates: “It’s always about what the national coach sees and what form the players are in. Reus is ill. Hummels is coming off an illness and hasn’t played again yet. Emre Can is coming off an injury and Julian Brandt has not played the last two games. Then there aren’t that many players from second in the table at the moment.”
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