After the 1: 4 swatter against RB Leipzig, the leading players at Borussia Dortmund 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 also sees this problem with Marco Reus and Mats Hummels. Both are showing the ravages of time, “Injuries are increasing, the pace is suffering and with a lack of rhythm and continuity, the performance is also getting worse,” said Matthäus.
BVB: Matthäus suggests Reus and Hummel’s farewell
He doesn’t know the plans of the two BVB veterans, but “can imagine that it’s not easy for their superiors Kehl and Zorc or the coaches Rose and Zickler to talk to them about the future and possibly suggest to them, maybe to look for another task,” said Matthäus.
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.”
Reus and Hummels each have a contract with BVB until 2023. Reus 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 scorer with 19 goals.
Hummels has been held back by patellar tendon problems this season. Nevertheless, he has been on the pitch in 22 Bundesliga games for BVB.
BVB has “partially disgraced”
All in all, Matthäus didn’t leave a good hair on BVB’s performance. Because the black and yellow were eliminated from the cup competitions “without a word” and “sometimes made a fool of themselves”, the result of the season was “cruel” despite second place in the Bundesliga.
Matthäus explicitly included coach Marco Rose in his criticism. 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”.