After Schlotterbeck’s title claim, BVB chief disagrees with Kehl | OneFootball

Borussia Dortmund struggles to find the right tone in the title race. While Nico Schlotterbeck boldly talks about winning the championship, the club's management sends mixed signals between courage and caution.

Nico Schlotterbeck's public challenge has sparked an intense discussion at Borussia Dortmund about expectations and communication. After the narrow 3-2 home victory against 1. FC Heidenheim, the central defender boldly stated that BVB must have the courage to openly talk about the championship. However, this stance did not receive unanimous approval within the club.

Especially from the sports management, there was initial restraint. Sporting director Sebastian Kehl and coach Niko Kovac tried to temper expectations immediately after the match. Given the unconvincing performance against the bottom-of-the-table team, it was difficult to declare big title ambitions, they implied. The focus should be on consistently scoring points and keeping the chasers at bay.

Schlotterbeck, on the other hand, received backing from the management. Carsten Cramer publicly supported the national player and praised his candid words. “We always want bold, ambitious, and open players,” said the BVB boss in a talk session with Ruhr Nachrichten and added: “I think it's great that we embody this passion.” The club signs its professionals precisely for this inner drive.

Cramer backs BVB defense chief Schlotterbeck

Photo: IMAGO

Schlotterbeck himself justified his statements with the club's self-image. “As BVB, you sometimes have to have the ambition to tell the fans we want to be champions,” explained the 25-year-old, pointing out that the gap to Bayern has recently narrowed. Now they want to "attack."

Despite the public praise, Cramer remained cautious about specific goals. He pointed to the strong points tally of 45 points but did not want to engage in calculations. “All the calculations are pointless. We are focusing on Wolfsburg,” he made clear. Thus, the managing director sends a different signal than the sports management: Bold words are welcome – but the official course remains deliberately sober.

Whether Schlotterbeck's initiative will inspire the team or create additional pressure will be revealed in the coming weeks – especially when a real statement is needed in the direct duel with Bayern.

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