Borussia Dortmund attacker Anthony Modeste, who has been criticized for his poor performance, has the backing of his former coach Steffen Baumgart.
“I don’t think it’s okay what’s hitting him. Tony isn’t responsible for the crisis in Dortmund, they’re excuses,” said the 1. FC Köln coach on “Bild-TV”. The criticism of Modeste are “personal attacks”.
Baumgart and the striker worked together in Cologne last season, when the 34-year-old Modeste scored 23 goals in 35 competitive games. Since moving to BVB in the summer, the Frenchman, who is to represent new signing Sébastien Haller, who is suffering from testicular cancer, has only scored one goal in seven Bundesliga games.
Baumgart protects Modeste
Even at 2: 3 on Saturday in Cologne, the third BVB defeat in the last four competitive games, Modeste had no connection to the game and not a single significant chance to score.
But Baumgart emphasized: “Strikers are dependent on the people behind them, it’s no different with us.” Even before the game, the coach hugged his ex-protégé and spoke to him. “So I told him he should stay with himself and not accept anything that was being said,” revealed Baumgart.