For a long time, Borussia Dortmund deliberately held back with public statements about its own ambitions to become a champion – until BVB managing director Hans-Joachim Watzke made an internal announcement. It came shortly after the disappointing performance at VfB Stuttgart (3:3).
BVB is going through a season with ups and downs, but the big highlight should now be celebrated on the last day of the Bundesliga match. If Borussia Dortmund wins the home game against Mainz 05, FC Bayern’s ten-year championship dominance will finally be broken. If Munich cannot win their parallel game against Cologne, black and yellow would also be the new champions.
On the 28th matchday only very few people had this scenario in their heads in Dortmund, as BVB missed the win at VfB Stuttgart – despite a 2-0 lead and a 50-minute majority. Since FC Bayern also made a mistake, black and yellow could have passed the table in mid-April.
“We came back from Stuttgart and everyone was pretty down,” recalled managing director Hans-Joachim Watzke on “Sky”. But despite the great disappointment, he wanted to set an example after the game.
“Then on Monday, at our directors’ meeting, I told my colleagues that we would be German champions. They were completely exhausted. They had never heard anything like that, but on the one hand I had the impression that I had to move forward now, and on the other hand I did but also really believed,” said the BVB boss, who added one game day before the end: “We’re not there yet, but I wasn’t completely wrong either.”
Watzke would be happy for Reus: “A milestone”
Should Borussia Dortmund celebrate their ninth championship title in the club’s history, the 63-year-old would be particularly happy for captain Marco Reus. The attacker moved back to the Ruhr area in the summer after the double success in 2012 and has always had FC Bayern as champions in front of him since then.
“There’s no question that he can set a milestone with it,” said the managing director: “But at the end of the day I’m happy for every player. Becoming German champions with Borussia Dortmund is a different category.”