Bold words: BVB chief makes clear title statement | OneFootball

At the Dortmund members' meeting, sports director Lars Ricken surprised with a clear title announcement. Despite strong competition, he confidently demands the DFB-Pokal for BVB.

Borussia Dortmund's sports director Lars Ricken made clear demands at the members' meeting on Sunday, surprising both the team and fans. In front of several thousand club members, the 49-year-old not only reflected on the difficult previous season but also clearly focused on the DFB-Pokal competition.

Ricken, who had accompanied Watzke for years as an official and has been responsible as sports director since May 2024, made it unmistakably clear where the path should lead. “We are a big club and we need to get back into the Champions League. And I think we should also show again that we are title-ready in the DFB-Pokal!” he declared. This wish was particularly tied to the future president Hans-Joachim Watzke: “My special wish as a native of Dortmund is for Aki Watzke to be able to hold the DFB-Pokal at the end of the season.”

Dortmund faces a tricky task: BVB will meet Bayer Leverkusen twice in a short period – first away in the Bundesliga, then in the DFB-Pokal round of 16 at their own stadium. Leverkusen is currently one of the strongest teams in the league, making Ricken's public goal-setting appear bold.

Ricken praises BVB coach Kovac

Looking back, Ricken recalled a season full of fluctuations, which he described as a “rollercoaster ride.” BVB was at times far from its own expectations: knocked out of the cup in the second round, eleventh place at the turn of the year – a “catastrophe,” as he admitted. It was only the hiring of coach Niko Kovac that brought the decisive turnaround. Despite initial defeats, it quickly became apparent “that success comes with Niko.” The values on the field immediately increased, Ricken said, and he expressly praised the coach: “Niko, we were sure you were the right man.”

He also underlined the sporting development of the past months: Of the last 19 Bundesliga matches, BVB only lost to Bayern. Defeats otherwise came exclusively against European top teams like Real Madrid, Barcelona, and Manchester City.

BVB last won the DFB-Pokal in 2021. This season, according to the will of the sports director, it should finally succeed again.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇩🇪 here.