After months of injury, Marco Reus is back in the BVB squad. But his performances are fluctuating. Quite different from that of his colleague Mats Hummels. But who is the better captain?
The criticism of Dortmund’s exceptional talent has become louder and louder in recent weeks. The highlight: Sky expert Dietmar Hamann had recently advocated that defense chief Mats Hummels take over the BVB captaincy instead of the frequently injured Marco Reus.
Borussia Dortmund’s managing director Hans-Joachim Watzke and trainer Lucien Favre then protected Reus. “Marco is a good captain,” said Watzke of “Bild”.
Watzke is behind Reus
It makes sense that the 31-year-old “needs time to stabilize his performance after this long injury break,” continued Watzke: “In any case, we know what we have in him.” Favre emphasized on Tuesday: “He was injured for six months. We have to continue to watch out for him.”
In line with the discussion, both Hummels and Reus were in the starting line-up last Saturday against Bielefeld. However, the defender had the better day. Hummels scored both goals in a 2-0 away win at Arminia.
Would Hummels be a better BVB captain than Reus?
Florian Wichert
Deputy Editor in Chief
Pro
Yes, there are better leaders than Reus
Do you know how many games Marco Reus has played over 90 minutes in all of 2020? It wasn’t a single one in 14 competitive matches! For a captain that is a disastrous result. At first he was injured for a long time, currently he has no regular place.
Reus is a gifted player with ingenious skills. He’s not a captain. Not as a type. And not because of its susceptibility to injury. That’s not bad either, because in Mats Hummels, BVB has a perfect leader in the team.
This year he has played 25 of 29 games over 90 minutes and has a top standing with fellow players, fans and bosses. He knows how to win titles – from the German championship to the World Cup. And even as a defender he shoots or heads important goals like in the 2-0 win against Bielefeld on Saturday when he scored both goals.
Hummels would currently be the best captain for BVB. Axel Witsel would also be a better candidate than Reus. And the captain of the future is already playing for Borussia. If Erling Haaland stays in Dortmund, with his outstanding mentality he can become a captain like Manfred Burgsmüller or Michael Zorc, with whom BVB won the Champions League.
Robert Hiersemann
Head of Football and Sports
Contra
No, and dealing with Reus is an absolute cheek
TV expert Hamann believes that Borussia Dortmund is currently better off without him and fans of other clubs mock him on the Internet. Marco Reus can be sorry for you at the moment. Because just because he has difficulties starting after his long injury break does not mean that he will not soon be deciding the games for his BVB again. It’s clear: Reus is still one of the best footballers in Germany – and the way he’s dealing with him is an absolute cheek.
To take away the captain’s armband – which, as a native of Dortmund, he wears with so much pride – would be the worst thing that can be done to him.
Because the 31-year-old has earned this position more than anyone else in his team: He comes from the city, was simply eliminated from the club’s offspring and came back to BVB in 2012 anyway. If there is one player who should have earned the time and confidence in recent years with his sensational dribbles and goals, it is Reus.
Of course, Hummels is also a great player who has a long history with the club. But Reus lives BVB. He is BVB. And experts, fans and colleagues should always keep that in mind when they criticize him again.
Who is right?
In the “duel of the week”, Florian Wichert (Deputy Editor-in-Chief at t-online) and Robert Hiersemann (Head of Football and Sport) comment on current football topics every week.
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