On Saturday (6:30 p.m.) Borussia Dortmund will start the 61st Bundesliga season. BVB welcomes 1. FC Köln at Signal Iduna Park. At the press conference before the game, coach Edin Terzic answers journalists’ questions.
sport.de reported today from 12:30 p.m at this point in the LIVE ticker from the PK of the German Vice Champion.
+++ Terzic on the goals conceded last season +++
“Basically, it’s not easy to say in this area: we want to concede fewer goals now. The best way to do that is to work hard and sharpen your senses that it’s not just about scoring goals. We’ve already done so in the The second half of the season showed that we’ve improved there, but in some games we didn’t concede just one goal, but two or three. Then at some point it becomes difficult to win games. We should try to stay under 34 goals. We have 44 last time conceded, so we have a discrepancy there.”
+++ Terzic about Donny Malen +++
“Donny was one of the most dangerous players in the second half of the season. It was particularly good for him that he was able to switch from the left to the right flank. But I’ve mentioned several times: It’s not just Donny Malen who made a jump in the second half of the season, but also, for example, Karim Adeyemi. I think there’s also a big factor with Sébastien Haller that makes the guys around him better. We hope that Donny will continue and see that he’s improved in other areas too .”
+++ Terzic on the number of employees +++
“Julian Duranville, Thomas Meunier and Gio Reyna will definitely be out. A few guys have returned. Niklas Süle was able to train again yesterday. Jamie Bynoe-Gittens and Mateu Morey are also doing well. They were able to increase their intensity and completely join in. There are two question marks for Felix Nmecha and Karim Adeyemi. They haven’t been able to train fully this week. We’re looking at their next two sessions, but we’re confident that it could work out for Saturday. Emre was slightly injured, But it was agreed that if he felt anything after the warm-up in the second session, he would slow down. We’ll look at that again, but we’re confident about him too.”
+++ Here we go with the BVB-PK! +++
BVB trainer Edin Terzic and communications director Sascha Fligge take their place on the PK podium and welcome everyone present.
+++ Who is out at BVB, who is coming back? +++
Four players are currently on BVB’s injury list.
Full-back Thomas Meunier is suffering from a muscle injury, while new signing Nmecha is struggling with ankle problems.
Offensive Jamie Bynoe-Gittens (shoulder injury) will most likely be out. There is also still a question mark over the use of Karim Adeyemi.
The winger was rested by coach Edin Terzic due to muscular problems in the 6-1 win against TSV Schott Mainz in the DFB Cup last Saturday. Adeyemi has not yet been on the training ground this week.
+++ Can BVB win the championship trophy this season? +++
That’s probably the biggest question BVB faces before the start of the season against 1. FC Köln on Saturday (6:30 p.m.). The Westphalians have to get over the psychological crunch after the 2022/23 championship, which Borussia Dortmund gambled away with a 2-2 home draw against 1. FSV Mainz 05 on the last day of the game.
How strong BVB really is this season and whether the championship can be an issue, nobody can seriously estimate. Dortmund want to make up for the multi-million dollar move from superstar Jude Bellingham to Real Madrid with the commitments of Felix Nmecha (VfL Wolfsburg) and Marcel Sabitzer (FC Bayern).
However, neither are a one-to-one substitute for the strong young Englishman, who was valued for his box-to-box game.