“Surprised”: Rangnick criticises Dortmund over Chukwuemeka | OneFootball

According to Ralf Rangnick, Borussia Dortmund has surprisingly come under criticism. The ÖFB head coach is unhappy about the lack of German lessons for BVB star Carney Chukwuemeka.

Austria national team coach Ralf Rangnick surprisingly criticized Borussia Dortmund after the emphatic 5–1 win over Ghana. However, not because of sporting matters, but due to an organizational detail involving Carney Chukwuemeka. The midfielder enjoyed a perfect debut for the Austrian national team, scoring his first goal shortly after coming on.

Rangnick was accordingly pleased with his performance on the pitch. Off it, however, the 67-year-old was surprised by the BVB professional’s lack of German skills. “I don’t want this to be understood as criticism, but I was surprised,” Rangnick explained after the match. What he found particularly irritating was that the Bundesliga club apparently does not have mandatory language lessons in place.

He emphasized: “That has to be in the clubs’ interest. They should make sure German lessons take place regularly.” Rangnick also drew a comparison with his previous roles: “In Leipzig or Hoffenheim, it was mandatory — German lessons three times a week. Anyone who missed them was treated as if they had missed training.” At the same time, he added that every club ultimately follows its own path.

Because of Chukwuemeka: Rangnick levels accusations at BVB

Chukwuemeka, who only recently switched to the Austrian federation, gets by perfectly well in English within the squad, but Rangnick still sees room for improvement here. “Of course Carney manages fine with English in our group as well, but I was a little surprised that nobody in Dortmund has even tried to arrange German lessons for him so far.”

Photo: IMAGO

The ÖFB therefore responded pragmatically: for meetings, the 22-year-old has an interpreter by his side, and a small vocabulary booklet was also created to quickly teach him the most important terms.

The Austrian-born player, who grew up in England and also received his football education there, therefore brings not only international experience but also linguistic challenges with him. From a sporting perspective, however, the BVB star already seems to have fully settled in — and made an immediate statement with his debut goal.

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