Süle continues to fight for the BVB regular place

He seemed to be well on his way back to the starting eleven, but recently had to make do with a place on the bench. For Niklas Süle, the unsatisfactory situation at Borussia Dortmund has hardly improved despite all the good intentions.

Coach Nuri Sahin gives him great credit for the fact that the former national player recently accepted the role of noble reservist without complaint: “The way he handled it was extraordinary and really good. He didn’t pull any punches at all and behaved like a professional. I told him that too.”

In the Champions League game this Tuesday (9 p.m./Amazon Prime) in Madrid, Süle would have had the chance to return to the back four because new signing Yan Couto is out injured. But a stubborn gastrointestinal virus kept the defensive veteran from training in the past few days. Although he flew to Madrid, he is not a candidate for the starting eleven.

Extra shifts during the holidays

There was still plenty of praise during the summer break. After long debates about his physical condition, Süle appeared to be thinner than he had been for a long time. In what he described as the “most intense summer of his life”, the 49-time national player laid the foundation for a renewed attack on the regular places. “I am mentally and physically in a condition where I can really attack,” commented Süle combatively before the start of the league.

The hard work initially paid off. The 29-year-old was there from the start in the first six competitive games of the new season and mostly showed strong performances. But when football teacher Sahin changed the system and ended the four-man chain experiment with three central defenders, Süle was only left with a place on the substitutes’ bench. Waldemar Anton and Nico Schlotterbeck received preference.

Sahin promises further missions

According to Sahin, it doesn’t have to stay that way. Impressed by the professional attitude, the coach promised an early comeback for the former Bayern professional: “Niki will be extremely important for us in the next phase.”