Nuri Sahin faces tough start as Borussia Dortmund’s head coach

It’s not been the dream start for Nuri Şahin as BVB’s head coach as his team failed short of success in the opening games in the pre-season. Nuri Şahin was handling his first set of games in charge after taking over from Edin Terzić who announced his resignation shortly after their defeat to Real Madrid in the UEFA Champions League finals.  The Turkish coach made 274 appearances for Dortmund as a player across two spells and was a part of the side that won the league title in 2011. He was crucial to BVB’s advance to the UEFA Champions League finals as the Assistant Coach to Edin Terzić.

Erzgebirge Aue hosted Borussia Dortmund in a friendly game on Wednesday 17th July 2024 for their fourth pre-season game ahead of a new competition in August. Following a 7-1 victory against the DEW21 Dream Team, BVB faced third-tier Erzgebirge Aue at the Erzgebirgsstadion. The game ended in a draw with both teams creating multiple chances to entertain 2,000 BVB fans who watched a quiet start. Benkara gave BVB the lead in the first half but the hosts equalized just before the final whistle, resulting in a 1-1 scoreline. Felix Nmecha and Soumaila Coulibaly were absent with other international players who are still on holiday until the end of July. They had earlier announced their squad for the Asian tour.

At the Erzgebirgsstadion, BVB struggled with creating key passes and made errors quite early in the game allowing Erzgebirge Aue to get the first chance of the game, luckily, it was saved by goalkeeper Alex Meyer. Julian Brandt’s free-kick hit the wall three minutes later, but shortly after, Elias Benkara headed in Brandt’s corner to make it 1-0 in 20 minutes. Karim Adeyemi had two notable moments in the first half, he sprinted back to stop Linus Rosenlöcher at defense and missed a shot after a swift break. Kjell Wätjen’s attempt was too high, and Julian Ryerson’s effort was saved by Martin Männel just before half-time, leaving the score 1-0.

Nuri Sahin made nine changes for the second half, keeping only Meyer and Tyler Meiser, with Haller being the only first-team player on the pitch. Meyer saved a shot from Marvin Stefaniak early in the half to keep the German side ahead. BVB failed to run away with the score after wasting several chances in the second half. Paris Brunner and Franz Roggow stroke wide in the 51st and 55th minute, and Almugera Kabar was denied by Männel in the 67th minute. The match slowed down, with Sean Seitz having two chances for Aue. Meyer saved a central shot from inside the box, but eight minutes later, he failed to stop Seitz’s cross from resulting in the equalizer for Aue, ending the match at 1-1. 

On Sunday 21st July, BG Pathum United hosted Borussia Dortmund at the Leo Stadium in another friendly game to kick-start their Asian Tour. Borussia Dortmund suffered a 4-0 defeat to the Thailand club, thanks to a brace from substitute Jaroensak Wonggorn. Melvyn Lorenzen and Teerasil Dangda were also on the scoresheet in what would happen to be Nuri Sahin’s first unofficial defeat as the head coach.

The German team conceived twice in either half and succumbed to the heat at the Leo Stadium. The home team executed their gameplan effectively with the starting eleven and the substitutes putting up a show for the crowd. Nuri Sahin would have a lot of thinking and set-up to process ahead of their next game against Cerezo Osaka on Wednesday. BVB might face Shinji Kagawa, a former club legend in Osaka, who won the Bundesliga title with Şahin and assistant coach Łukasz Piszczek in 2011, now playing for the club.

COULIBALY TO JOIN REAL BETIS ON LOAN 

According to the Spanish sports, Dortmund is making plans to loan out Coulibaly for a second time running this coming season. Soumaïla Coulibaly returned to Borussia Dortmund after Royal Antwerp F.C. of the Belgian Pro League chose not to activate the purchase option in his loan deal. His contract with the German club extends until 2026.

The Spanish La Liga is a potential move as Real Betis is reportedly on the verge of securing the 21-year-old French youth international on loan. Negotiations are ongoing for an agreement that includes a purchase option. Dortmund had initially hoped to sell Coulibaly to Sevilla for around €10 million, but Sevilla declined, valuing the player at around €6 million.

Soumaila Coulibaly joined Borussia Dortmund on a free transfer from Paris Saint-Germain in 2021. However, the center-back has only made two first-team appearances for the Black and Yellows. Last year, he made 32 appearances for Antwerp across all competitions. He now looks forward to a fresh start in Spain, aiming to further his development.

DORTMUND TO WELCOME OFFERS FOR FULLKRUG

Veteran German striker Niclas Füllkrug is highly interested in moving to the Italian Serie A. Positive discussions between Füllkrug and AC Milan have led Borussia Dortmund, to set a price tag for the 31-year-old.

Füllkrug hasn’t struggled with playing time at the German Club but with the recent fitness of Sebastien Haller, the German would compete for playing time with Youssoufa Moukoko still in the picture. Further talks between AC Milan and Füllkrug are scheduled for this week, with the 31-year-old reportedly keen on a move to Italy. The Hannover native showed little to no interest in joining a rival Bundesliga club after spending his entire career in Germany.   

Many veteran German strikers, such as Miroslav Klose, Mario Gómez, Oliver Bierhoff, Rudi Völler, Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, and Helmut Haller, have chosen to spend the latter stages of their careers in Serie A. Borussia Dortmund is reportedly ready to let Füllkrug go for a set price of €15 million, an amount they invested in him less than a year ago.

MARCO REUS TO HEAD TO THE MLS

LA Galaxy has started preparations to sign former Borussia Dortmund and Germany attacking midfielder Marco Reus. The 35-year-old became a free agent after ending his contract with his boyhood club at the end of last season. Recent reports show that only a few more steps are required before finalizing the agreement.

St. Louis City was previously the main team in the picture, soliciting the services of the experienced German midfielder. They already have former BVB goalkeeper Roman Bürki and their sporting director, Lutz Pfannenstiel has ties to Hoffenheim and Fortuna Dusseldorf. Reus is now focused on joining the Galaxy. The reason for the recent changes in interest is not clear yet. Close sources to the player indicated the California club’s approach was more beneficial and would support the German’s style of play.

Should the transfer go through, Reus would strengthen an attack that includes Dejan Joveljic, Riqui Puig, Gabriel Pec, and Joseph Paintsil. LA Galaxy currently averages 1.66 goals per 90 minutes of actual playing time, placing them seventh in the 29-team league. 

Reus joined Borrusia Dortmund from Borussia Monchengladbach in 2012 and spent 12 seasons playing for the Black and Yellows. He scored 171 goals in 426 league and cup appearances throughout his career. He was part of two DFB Pokal-winning teams in 2017 and 2021 and won the DFL Supercup in 2013 and 2019. Internationally, Reus has 48 caps for Germany, scoring 15 goals.

BORUSSIA DORTMUND UPCOMING GAMES

Tuesday 6th August

Borussia Dortmund vs. Villarreal  (Friendly Match,17:30)

Saturday 10th August

Borussia Dortmund vs. Aston Villa (Friendly Match,16:00)

Saturday 17th August

FC Phönix Lübeck vs. Borussia Dortmund(German DFB Cup,17:00)

Saturday 24th August

Borussia Dortmund vs. Eintracht Frankfurt  (German Bundesliga, 17:30)

Saturday 31st August

Werder Bremen vs. Borussia Dortmund  (German Bundesliga, 14:30)

Friday 13th September

Borussia Dortmund vs. 1. FC Heidenheim 1846  (German Bundesliga, 19:30)

Sunday 22nd September

Stuttgart vs. Borussia Dortmund  (German Bundesliga, 16:30)

Friday 27th September

Borussia Dortmund vs. Bochum  (German Bundesliga, 19:30)

Act swiftly and secure your Borrussia Dortmund Tickets for the coming season. With demand soaring, explore seat maps, compare prices, and find the ideal spot for an unforgettable experience. Official sites have witnessed a rapid sell-out due to overwhelming demand while trusted secondary marketplaces remain your Go-to place for securing tickets.

The current summer transfer window holds the potential to reshape the squad and address pressing concerns. New Head coach Nuri Şahin will look forward to replicating the success he achieved in the club as a player. The club’s scouts are actively recruiting potential talents from across the globe, as their focus on youth development is evident in their strategic planning for the future. Potential departures and new inclusions will fight to balance the dynamic the team experienced last season under Edin Terzić while attempting success in the domestic league and UEFA Champions League.