Dortmund’s season, coach’s future in the balance

Berlin — Borussia Dortmund’s season is on the brink of collapse after two defeats in two league games this year, and  coach Nuri Sahin is quickly running out of time to turn things around for 2024’s Champions League finalists.

Sahin, a former Dortmund youth and senior player, took over this season but has failed to make an impact as his team has notched one win from their last six league games.

Dortmund conceded three first-half goals in their 4-2 defeat at relegation-threatened Holstein Kiel on Tuesday despite having several players back from illness, a performance Sahin branded “shameful and unworthy”.

With speculation about possible successors already swirling in German media, Sahin now seems to have one last chance when they travel to third-placed Eintracht Frankfurt on Friday.

“Obviously we cannot just go over to business as usual because the performance against Kiel was what it was,” Sahin said on Thursday.

“We had lots of discussions and today we have to start looking ahead. The lads were very self-critical and we know we have to show a reaction after such a performance.

“It is my responsibility to prepare the team and my players for Frankfurt. We have now to stand our ground in Frankfurt and deliver our performance. Maybe that is the opponent we need to turn things around,” Sahin said.

Dortmund, who will have Karim Adeyemi and Pascal Gross back for the match on Friday, have dropped to 10th in the league on 25 points, five off the fourth spot that leads to next season’s Champions League.

Missing out on Europe’s premier club competition would be a major sporting and financial setback for the publicly listed club, which has seen its shares trade at the lowest level in years.

Eintracht are expected to be a huge challenge, having won both their league matches this year and their top scorer Omar Marmoush in scintillating form.

The Egyptian, who looks almost certain to join a bigger European club in this transfer window, has scored 15 goals in the first 17 league matches, more than any other Frankfurt player ever.

With Manchester City among the clubs reportedly interested in the 25-year-old, Friday’s game could potentially be his last for the German side.

Leaders Bayern Munich, on 42 points, welcome seventh-placed VfL Wolfsburg on Saturday while champions Bayer Leverkusen, four points behind in second spot, host Borussia Moenchengladbach.

Reuters