Edin Terzic on preparing for the Gladbach game: “We had a very intensive session yesterday. Today it will be a little more relaxed. We also defended the zero against Wolfsburg. That will also be the case on Saturday."
Terzic: "We remember the first leg, back then we were constantly chasing a deficit.”
Terzic on the discrepancy between home and away appearances: “We don’t go through with it away from home and had to settle for a draw several times. Luckily we have a home game on Saturday.”
Terzic about Jamie Bynoe-Gittens: “Jamie is the only player who will definitely fail. He fell on his shoulder during training last week and was operated on yesterday. He has walked this path before and will be missed in the coming weeks and months.”
Terzic on the starting position: “There is a lot at stake for us. We have to prepare optimally to win the game.”
Terzic on the competition: “We had 26 players on the pitch yesterday. Some players won't be in the squad on Saturday either, which also leads to frustration. All players subordinate themselves to the great goal."
Terzic: "We are happy that it is more exciting than it has been for a long time. The quality of the training is very satisfactory.”
Terzic about Nico Schlotterbeck: “Nico is always a candidate for the starting eleven if he is healthy. And he's healthy. Mats Hummels and Niklas Süle have to prove in the next two days that they want to stay in the starting XI. Both played really well against Wolfsburg.”
Terzic on the Bayern game on Saturday afternoon: “We have our normal routine. Of course there will be one or the other push message, you can't hide that. But that won't affect us, we won't do anything crazy."
Terzic on Matthias Sammer’s Bellingham statements: “I did not hear the statement myself. I appreciate Matthias very much, we often exchange ideas - but not on this topic so far. Maybe we'll do it in the coming days."
Terzic: "But I don't think there is anyone who knows the team better than I do. I'm very happy how Jude presents himself here every day. He played very grown-up and experienced against Wolfsburg. And we're still talking about a 19-year-old player here."
Terzic on the title fight: “This is another topic that I cannot influence. We have to win our games. It doesn't matter to me whether Schalke, Leipzig or Cologne support us."
Terzic on Felix Passlack: “He is one of my big favorites, we've known each other for a long time. I've had to disappoint him a lot lately. Against Wolfsburg we wanted to give him this little thank you in return. We know what this club means to him. And he means a lot to us too.”
Terzic on #BMG: “A strong football team. They always want to solve it in a playful way and have a lot of speed on the wings. They try again and again to see the opponent apart in the center and rely on counterattacks. We've a lot of respect but are in very good shape at home."
Terzic on Karim Adeyemi: “We gave it a lot of thought during the World Cup break. Karim and Donyell Malen haven't scored a single goal in their first 16 games. I think that Sebastien Haller is also a key factor."
Terzic: "He makes sure the guys around him get better. We also adjusted the pressing height.”
• • •
Missing some Tweet in this thread? You can try to
force a refresh
Reus on life in LA: "Here, you get more of a sense that people are interested in the positive things. They see you, and you’re wearing a cool shirt, and they say, “Hey, cool shirt!” Of course, it’s a bit of that superficial American vibe, you could say, but they’re more likely to strike up a conversation with you. I love my country, I love Germany. I wouldn’t have lived there for so long otherwise. I’m really grateful that the country offers us so many opportunities. But you start to feel more and more like everything there is so negative. Like everyone is just living their own life, bottling it all up, getting sucked into a kind of whirlpool, and they forget the positivity of life itself. And I just find that sad. And I think that’s the biggest difference here."
Reus: "Gorgeous weather, clear blue skies. It’s definitely a great way to start the day. Beautiful sunshine, wonderful day. Absolutely, it’s definitely a stark contrast to Germany. You have to say that for sure. Mainly because of the weather. You wake up and start your day with a different energy. So, yeah, the move here was definitely the right decision."
Reus on his move: "Yesterday, when we were at the game, I was talking with my wife, and she asked if I felt fully settled in and if I’d become American yet. But it still feels a little surreal, I have to admit. It was a big step for us. Moving away from Germany, where we lived our whole lives, to a different country, with a different culture and different people. But I have to say, I’ve been here a bit longer now, and my wife and kids only arrived about 7 or 8 days ago, but I already feel very comfortable, I have to say. And I wouldn’t want to miss it at all anymore."
Reus on becoming Americanized: "Not quite yet. That will take some more time. I think it’s a bit challenging. You have to connect with the people here and get closer to them. For example, yesterday we went to our oldest child’s kindergarten festival, which had an Oktoberfest theme. And that’s something that’s really emphasized here, the openness of the people. They approach you and don’t ask, “Who’s that guy?” Like it can be in Germany. Instead, they just come up to you and ask, “Where are you from?” “Why are you here? Where do you live?” And you quickly get into conversations with them. It’s definitely very interesting."
Can on the early deficit: "I don’t think anyone in the stadium knew what was happening at the beginning. Suddenly, we’re down 0-2, and then you start thinking about last week’s defeat in Stuttgart. It didn’t look good, but I felt that if we scored before halftime, we could turn the game around. And here, with our fans, anything is possible, and we showed that today. But it shouldn’t take going down 0-2 for us to start playing; that needs to be there from the beginning, and we need to learn that. But today, we showed character."
Can on what went wrong in the first 35 minutes: "The rest defense! We were playing two-on-two at the back, and one of us holding midfielders or the right-back needs to tuck in. We need to have an overload there. It can’t happen that a player runs free on goal. We have to improve 100%. There are still some points we need to work on, but we’ll get better in the coming weeks."
Can on Guirassy’s performance: "Serhou is fantastic. It’s great to have a player up front who you know you can always play the ball to. He’s always good for a goal, and hopefully, Serhou will score a lot more for us this season. It’s a good start, but like all of us, he can still improve."
🧵 Pre match press conference for the game against Eintracht Frankfurt with Nuri Sahin.
Sahin on Paris Brunner: "We can’t hand anything to anyone. I have shown him a perspective from the coaching side, and the club has made him a very good offer. I wish him all the best for his career. He has to compete with Guirassy, Beier, Haller, Moukoko, and the wingers. I don’t need to beat around the bush. It doesn’t work like, ‘Just so you extend your contract, you play in the first eleven.’ Borussia Dortmund is too big for that."
Sahin on his first day: "This will be a very special day. I’m as excited as a little kid. Also, my daughter’s birthday is on Saturday."
Sahin on the personnel: "Except for Serhou Guirassy, everyone is fit. Gregor Kobel has completed all the training sessions this week. I hope that we can get through both sessions before the game without any issues."
Reus on potential contact with Lionel Messi: "He hasn't sent a message. I doubt one will come. But it's nice to play against him in the league again. I had the pleasure two or three times, both with the club and the national team. I think every good player who comes to MLS benefits the league, simply for the attention, for the fans, to help them get to know the sport better. It's not the number one sport here, but I think the league is on a very good path to bringing football closer to the people and making it more popular. Every player who has played at a high level in Europe helps. We hope that more will join."
Reus on what he will miss from the Bundesliga and Germany: "Especially the Dortmund stadium, of course. When you've had the feeling for so long of playing every other weekend, or sometimes even more often, in front of 80,000 fans, it's something you will always miss, because there is no stadium in the world that is as loud and where so many people come together. In the Bundesliga, you always felt, even when you played away, that so many fans supported you. You always had your fans everywhere. Whether it will be the same here, I don't know, but I'll find out. Also, football in general. You got to know football the way it is. Of course, it has also evolved in the Bundesliga. The stadiums are excellent, the fans – it's rare in the world to see clubs supported to that extent."
Reus on his former BVB teammates: "I wish the guys nothing but the best. I know everyone there, even though a few new faces have joined. I hope they stay healthy, stay positive, and have a good start to the season, and hopefully, have something to celebrate in the end. I'll definitely be following, even though the time difference is big when it comes to kickoff times. It's clear."
Ian Maatsen on his chances of staying at BVB next season: "I'm not really focusing on that right now. We have so many important games ahead of us, and my full concentration is on them. I don't know what will happen in the summer yet. There will surely be several options. What I can say is that I feel very comfortable in Dortmund and really enjoy being here at BVB. And I also feel that I am very welcome here."
Maatsen on reports which suggests he has conveyed a wish to Chelsea bosses that he doesn't want to return next season: "No, I haven't done that. At this stage of my career, my main focus is on playing a lot. That's the most important thing for me. I have a contract with Chelsea; it's a big club. As I said, I'm not thinking about my future right now. We'll see what happens." [@RNBVB]
Maatsen on the the biggest differences between the Bundesliga and the Premier League: "The games in the Premier League are even faster than those in the Bundesliga. Additionally, the schedule is even more packed. While the Bundesliga is similar in this regard, there is a bit more time to rest after matches and to prepare for the upcoming game with a bit more time. Even though the competitions in Germany are also demanding, I would say the intensity in England is a bit higher."
Maatsen on why he chose to switch to BVB on loan this winter and developing in the Bundesliga: "Because I really wanted to play more. That was the most important thing for me. I had ideas in mind with Chelsea, but for some reason, it didn't work out. But that's not the end of the world, sometimes it's just part of your journey. You have to find a good solution for yourself. And Dortmund was the perfect solution. Life sometimes gives you opportunities. When that happens, you have to seize them. Now I'm here and it's going very well. Now the whole world can see who I am and what I'm capable of."
Maatsen: "The Bundesliga is a great stage for a young player to showcase their quality. For a young guy like me, it's really significant that the coach and the officials of such a big club like Borussia Dortmund give me the chance to shine. You don't see that as often in the Premier League. It's a completely different league. There's a whole different environment for young players there."
🧵“At 27, you are at the best age to be a leader. Wouldn't you like to become BVB captain?”
Brandt: “I don't know if I'm the prototype for that. I come from the north, we are a little more reserved. I also define the role differently. It would be fatal if only the captain always took responsibility. He can't handle everything alone. I see the captain as a member of the team council, of which I am also a member. And I see it this way: everyone on this committee has to lead the way. I enjoy doing this too. And it's just as important that others speak their minds. I also have no problem with Marius Wolf complaining to me because I played crap.” [RN]
“How does Emre Can perform as captain from your perspective?”
Brandt: “I think Emre is a very good captain. He is someone who is driven by great ambition in every training session. He enjoys great respect in the team.”
Brandt on his increased sense of responsibility: “Yes. Maybe I too have grown up. At least that's what my old colleagues tell me. Emre Can, who has known me since I was 17, recently said: Why are you like this now? You used to talk completely differently!' For some it happens faster as the ripening process progresses, for me it took a little longer (laughs).”
Brandt on his criticism and interviews: “Sometimes I have to control my emotions. Otherwise there will be a lot of echoes to individual statements and the issues will become more acute in public, so there is only black or white. Unfortunately, this is part of our society. It's either very, very hot or very, very bad, and there's little in between. Nevertheless, I trust myself and expect myself to clearly address what I notice.”