Waldemar Anton is writing one of the wildest stories in the Bundesliga this season. First of all, his new team Borussia Dortmund does not work at all, then he pushes the insight of the BVB with a performance comeback. He is rewarded in the Nation’s League semi-final against Portugal in the spotlight-and now has to stop Ronaldo.
Vice champion, EM quarter-finals, controversial change, hate tirades, injuries, crash, DFB-Aus, Irres comeback.
This is the short version of the past twelve months of Waldemar Anton.
In other words, there have been quieter career courses than that of the central defender of Borussia Dortmund. On Wednesday evening (9 p.m. Live in the Sport.de ticker) he will probably play one of the leading roles in the DFB team and is to defuse the Portuguese offensive weapons Cristiano Ronaldo and Rafael Leao.
After the injury -related failure of Antonio Rüdiger, national coach Julian Nagelsmann is likely to rely on Anton and Jonathan Tah in the defense center.
Anton suddenly challenged as a Ronaldo defense
Anton as a Ronaldo stopper? “He has been there for a long time, there are so many videos on the net-we know exactly what we have to do,” said the 28-year-old in an interview with the newspapers of the Funke media group and warned: “You have to be concentrated at every second, defend cleanly.”
He is looking forward to the duel with the football legend. “As a footballer, you live for such duels. We are therefore extremely looking forward to the game.”
The fact that he was in this position on Wednesday had not emerged for a long time this season. It’s a surprise.
No game of the German national football team misses: RTL will broadcast on Sunday, June 8th, both the small final of the Nations League in the afternoon and the final in the evening live on free TV and in the stream to RTL+. The start of the game for third place is at 2:30 p.m., the TV reports for the final in the Munich Allianz Arena begin at 8:15 p.m.
In summer, Anton moved to Borussia Dortmund as the captain of the freshly baked runner -up VfB Stuttgart for over 20 million euros. This transfer triggered strong criticism. In Bad Cannstatt, he went to persona non grata from many fans. Above all, because he had extended the contract in January and said sentences that interpreted many as a faithful. It turned out differently. The roar far beyond Swabia.
At the Westphalia, Anton under coach Nuri Sahin first got a regular place, but like the entire team, it was difficult to build on the previous services and to meet the high expectations.
BVB flew out early in the trophy, in the league the team rushed to a double -digit place in the table. The season threatened to become a fiasco.
Anton was also a symbol for this. Of all people against his ex-club, he experienced working days to forget. In the first leg in Stuttgart, the black and yellow were demonstrated by Enzo Millot and Co (5: 1), Anton, like the rest of the team, had no chance, was also brutally whipped down by the entire stadium. In the second leg in front of their own audience in the Westfalenstadion, the Gau. While his Stuttgart successor Jeff Chabot met, Anton slipped the ball into his own goal. Everyone can paint the ridicule. Anton on the ground.
Anton looked into the abyss with the BVB
And yet the defense routine remained surprisingly calm and relaxed, even after the bitter setbacks and in the critical phases the journalists in the mixed zone, remained factual, wiped the emotions aside.
Muscle injuries are thrown back several times in autumn and winter. In the meantime, it looked as if he also lost his regular place in defense. Because of the muscular problems, he also missed the international game phase in November.
The neck strike followed in March. Broadcaster Nagelsmann waived the central defender for the quarter-final games in the Nations League against Italy. Not for injury, but clearly sporting reasons. A longer or even final end in the national team did not seem excluded. With Nagelsmann he was in regular exchange during this time. His interpretation had been clearly and honestly communicated to him.
But then the turn in the club was already heralded. Albeit in the second attempt. In February, Niko Kovac took over for the failed Nuri Sahin. The first game went very wrong, it was the said second leg against the ex-teammates from VfB and own goal. Afterwards, Anton was outside that several games banished Kovac to the bench, let him braise. Against Augsburg he was just allowed to go for a minute.
“I had a time when I didn’t play much, that was not easy. It was a phase in my career, which I have never had. If I can draw the right conclusions from it, I like to take it with me. You have to see it positively. I always say that everything has a reason,” he looked back in the “Transfermarkt.de” interview in April.
Here, too, prudence helped: Anton remained calm, public stunk was not heard. Instead, the 1.89-meter giant caught work and create in training. This was also heard by Kovac, who relies a lot on mentality, commitment and honest work.
“He impresses me. Humanly, he is very high. It was not easy for him. But he didn’t give up and did not smell,” said the BVB coach.
BVB: Anton as later Kovac winner
What followed is probably the greatest resurrection in this season.
The German-Croatian followed and raised Anton again to the Dortmund starting eleven. Against Leipzig, there was a defeat (0: 2) with Anton as a right -back, but then the brilliant final sprint of BVB began with eight unbeaten games in a row, of which seven wins (the draw was against Bavaria). Anton was allowed to get back in his traditional position in the central defense. In the triple chain, Anton stabilized next to Emre Can and first Nico Schlotterbeck (who then failed injured) and later Niklas Süle the defensive.
In the last nine season games, Anton has always been in the initial formation and experienced the crazy season finish on the square. Against Hoffenheim, Anton even scored the 3-2 in added time and rejected the euphoria believed to be lost to BVB and its fans. Anton cheering in front of the away mob. This is also a symbol image of the second half of the season.
Game for game, victory for victory, BVB and Anton robbed themselves of the Champions League ranks. The team made it all clear against Kiel. A conciliatory end of the season.
As a cherry on the cake, the renewed nomination for the DFB team followed. A real title chance for Anton, who has only celebrated a title with the U21. Then the club World Cup is waiting in the USA. The Anton trip continues cheerfully.