BVB sports director Michael Zorc has commented on the latest proposals for a comeback of Dortmund’s defense chief Mats Hummels in the national soccer team. “He’s still a top top defender for Germany and always has the quality to play there,” commented the 58-year-old on Thursday.
When he asked national coach Joachim Löw to call the 2014 world champion back into the squad, Zorc did not want this statement to be understood. “This is my opinion. But it is not relevant because I don’t have to decide, but the national coach. And that’s his right, ”said Zorc.
Defense concerns in Dortmund
The TV experts Dietmar Hamann and Lothar Matthäus spoke out in favor of Hummels’ return a few days ago, referring to the many goals conceded by the DFB-Elf. “For me there is a player who should be brought back – and that is Mats Hummels,” said Hamann on the TV broadcaster Sky Sport News. “With his routine and his personality, he helps the team,” said Matthäus, who is also employed at Sky. After the 2018 World Cup, Hummels was also deleted from the DFB team’s squad, as were Thomas Müller and Jérôme Boateng from Munich.
Meanwhile, after a positive corona test at Manuel Akanji, BVB has to wait for the defender to return to the squad. “He will not be there and currently has to remain in quarantine until October 17,” said coach Lucien Favre on Thursday with reference to his team’s Bundesliga game on Saturday (3:30 p.m. in the FAZ live ticker for the Bundesliga and on Sky) 1899 Hoffenheim. The Swiss Football Association reported the positive test result to Akanji in the middle of last week – a few hours before the test match against Croatia.
His absence exacerbates BVB’s personnel problems in defense. Dan-Axel Zagadou and national player Nico Schulz, who sustained a muscle injury in the test international match between the DFB-Elf against Turkey, are also not available.
Despite the failures of Akanji and Schulz, sports director Zorc refrained from criticizing the tight schedule with international matches in Corona times: “It doesn’t do any good if we point the finger at the associations. They tell us that you also fly around the world, ”commented Zorc before the first Champions League group game on Tuesday at Lazio Rome. “We have to accept it as it is. There is no alternative to doing so. So we shouldn’t complain. We are called to make the best possible out of this situation. “
Despite growing personnel problems, BVB wants to improve its last weak yield against Hoffenheim. TSG won both games against Dortmund for the first time in one season last season (2-1, 4-0). In addition, the Revierklub in Sinsheim has been without a win for seven games. The currently best league shooter Andrej Kramaric also contributed to this negative balance. He scored seven times in eight Bundesliga games against Dortmund. “He’s very, very dangerous and a problem for every team,” warned Favre.
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