Moukoko’s bittersweet reunion with Dortmund | OneFootball

Borussia Dortmund defeats FC Copenhagen 4-2 – for former BVB striker Youssoufa Moukoko, the reunion with his old club becomes an emotional and "very strange" evening.

It was an evening full of emotions for Youssoufa Moukoko. The 20-year-old faced his former club Borussia Dortmund with FC Copenhagen in the Champions League – experiencing a match between pride, nostalgia, and disappointment.

Moukoko was under contract with BVB for nine years, becoming the youngest Bundesliga player and scorer in history and was seen as a great promise for the future. However, after a challenging development and an unsuccessful loan to Nice, he moved to the Danish champion in the summer for around six million euros. The duel with Dortmund was thus more than just another group match for the striker.

"When I came out, I saw the yellow people and I was on the other side. That was very strange," Moukoko told DAZN. Despite his emotional connection, he wanted to focus on the game – and he succeeded. He was surprisingly in the starting lineup and prepared the temporary equalizer with a dangerous shot.

No celebration, but pride: Moukoko impresses in the duel with BVB

When the ball landed in the net after an unfortunate defensive action by Dortmund, Moukoko flinched briefly – but he kept his word: "I had in my head: Don't celebrate, don't celebrate," he said later. "If I had scored the winning goal, that would have been great."

His effort did not go unrewarded, even though it ended in a 4-2 defeat for Copenhagen. "In the end, we left everything on the pitch, but we have to accept that Dortmund was the better team," Moukoko admitted.

After the final whistle, the striker sought contact with his former colleagues. BVB sporting director Sebastian Kehl revealed: "He was just in the locker room. We joked a bit." And added: "I really wish him the best. He is still a part of our BVB history."

For Moukoko himself, this evening remains a small piece of football poetry – between old love and a new beginning. "The last few weeks have not been easy, I played little. Now I was back in the starting lineup, now I have to keep delivering this performance," he said. "Then I will play every game."

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