Pre-Match Report
Press conference: the team feel an obligation to perform
Boris Rupert reporting from Bologna
Eurowings special flight EW 1909 landed punctually at 16:52 CET at the airport of the Italian university city. Drizzle and fog greeted the Borussia players on the day before their last away game in the league phase of the UEFA Champions League. On Wednesday morning – despite or perhaps because of the Bundesliga club's poor start to 2025 – points 13, 14 and 15 will hopefully have been secured in Europe's elite competition, which would set the scene perfectly for BVB to book a direct ticket to the last 16 in the final home game against Donetsk next week.
"The fact is: 18 points will be enough,” said Nuri Sahin about the calculations that are doing the rounds everywhere, adding: "Tomorrow we want to get the first three of them. We are doing well in the Champions League; we want to qualify as part of the top eight.”
Of course, Borussia Dortmund's young head coach did not appear as relaxed as he did at the press conference prior to the opening game in September in Bruges. “Of course, it affects each and every one of us,” he said about the situation in the Bundesliga table, immediately shifting the focus to the game against Bologna: “We want to take a giant step and at the same time gain momentum for the Bundesliga.” Sahin assured: “I'm fine. I'm really looking forward to the game tomorrow and I'm confident that we'll get the points.”
Nico Schlotterbeck was sitting next to Sahin on the podium and revealed: “The atmosphere in the team has been better. We're not having an easy time, and we have to fight our way out of it together with the coaching staff. We've lost three games and have to switch gears in the Champions League, put in a good performance tomorrow. The anticipation is great, every Champions League game is something special.” When asked about his coach, the defender said: “I experience him as I have come to know him over the last 12 months: focused and clear.” Schlotterbeck thinks “the team have an obligation to perform. The coach gives us a plan, but we haven't implemented it well enough in the last three games.”
The 25-year-old Germany international demands that the leaders in the dressing room take charge: “We have to lead the way with a 100% performance. If we can do that, we'll support all the other players, and I'm confident we'll then have a good game.”
All the players are on board except for the injured Niklas Süle and the suspended Ramy Bensebaini. The after-effects of the flu have subsided. Looking back on the games against Leverkusen and Kiel, Schlotterbeck said: “The illness has not left us all unscathed. But I feel okay again now.”
The team are well prepared. The final details will be discussed after dinner and tomorrow. “I watched Bologna a lot last year. It was a different type of analysis for us, as they are an interesting opponent,” said Nuri Sahin, who spoke of "a lot of quality in midfield. We know what they can do. And we know what we want to do tomorrow”.