Borussia Dortmund’s 2:2 draw at RB Leipzig has put a slight damper on the title race with FC Bayern, but the Dortmund bosses remain calm – and point to the strength of the record champions
The late equalizer by Fabio Silva deep into stoppage time felt like a small victory for BVB. Nevertheless, the Black & Yellows lost two points in the direct comparison with FC Bayern. While the public is already discussing the possible impact on the title race, Dortmund is urging calm
Carsten Cramer, Managing Director of Marketing and Sales, believes his team is on the right track despite the draw – and clearly puts Munich in the role of favourites. „If someone had told me that we would have 52 points after 23 games – respect. I can’t help it that Bayern play such good soccer, they just do it exceptionally well. You just have to acknowledge that,“ he told BILD
Cramer is therefore unable to comprehend criticism of the season so far: „Maybe you should work on the others, because we have laid a good foundation with our 52 points.“
Schlotterbeck as a symbolic figure
The team has recently adopted a confident tone, with some professionals openly stating the championship as their goal. Cramer himself did not want to directly endorse this statement, but expressly welcomes the ambition in the squad – especially in Nico Schlotterbeck
„I think Nico and his ambition are really good. These are the players we want to play for BVB,“ said Cramer. After the Leipzig game, the club spoke of a deserved point, but the players themselves were dissatisfied. „From our point of view, we spoke of a deserved point yesterday and we are happy. But the players were rather dissatisfied, for them the glass was half empty. They are naturally ambitious.“
This is precisely why Schlotterbeck is to be kept in the long term – despite the interest of many top clubs, including FC Bayern for a long time. Cramer is optimistic about the ongoing contract talks, even if they are not uncomplicated: „We have presented him with attractive figures. But I don’t want to go into that publicly either, because that’s not appropriate. It’s up to the player to find the best possible economic solution for himself.“
Despite all the speculation, the BVB boss remains calm: „I remain confident. And Nico doesn’t give me the feeling that this confidence is unfounded.“
In the title race with FC Bayern, Dortmund is therefore continuing to rely on patience – and on its own ambition.