Thomas Meunier on his time at BVB: "Not the best experience, but I have no regrets" | OneFootball

Thomas Meunier, the Belgian international right-back for Lille OSC in Ligue 1, was interviewed prior to Tuesday's 1-1 draw with Borussia Dortmund in the first leg of the Champions League round of sixteen at Signal Iduna Park, according to L'Équipe (via Transfermarkt).

Meunier, who played 56 matches in the black-yellow of BVB, scoring three times between 2020 - 2023, was asked about his experience in Dortmund, and why he moved to Trabzonspor before then joining Lille over the summer transfer window.

Regarding the reaction of the Dortmund home crowd in the match, Meunier expected that “the reception would be a bit indifferent”: “I did not shape the history of this club, and that is very clear, but I never had any issues with anyone. I still have a house in Germany, my three kids went to school there for four years and speak German.”

His injuries were a major reason for why he believed the Dortmund crowd would not react to his arrival as much as they would another former, possibly more impactful player. He stated in the interview that “my first two years were excellent, but the next two after that were a rollercoaster; I kept having a few matches, then an injury, three months out, and so on. I started having more problems than ever before, and I had great difficulties trying to find my rhythm, to stabilise myself".

Meunier added, “I needed a change of scenery from Dortmund. I played because Julian Ryerson was injured, but Ryerson was still the main option, so I would end up on the bench regardless.” Summarising his time at the club, he stated, “I would not say that it was the best experience of my life, but I have absolutely no regrets at all.”

Discussing the Dortmund - Lille match and the two sides from firsthand experience, Meunier said that “in philosophy and results”, the two clubs are very similar.

About the club, Meunier stated, “Dortmund can end up in Champions League, and then exit the first round of the DFB-Pokal; like them, we are also a team that can be excellent at certain times, and then somehow find ourselves in surprising difficult times.”

He added that “in principle, BVB has to be there at times where things are not going well for Bayern, and it is the same with Lille, in recent times it has become more consistent for us”.

The two teams will play in the second leg of their round of sixteen tie at 18.45 (CET) on Wednesday, 12. March, at the Stade Pierre-Mauroy.