Before the season, Julian Brandt was still considered a potential sales candidate in the BVB environment, but he is now increasingly putting his stamp on the Borussia game. The 26-year-old also led the way in the 5-1 win over Freiburg. With and against the ball.
Also scored in the 5-1 win over Freiburg: Julian Brandt.
IMAGO/Team 2
At the upcoming Oscars, the film “Everything Everywhere All At Once” is considered an insider tip. It’s about a cleaning lady who suddenly finds herself in various parallel universes and has to save the world. Sounds pretty crazy – but reminds a bit of Julian Brandt’s current role at Borussia Dortmund.
For years, the national player was considered a highly talented offensive force who could exude magic at certain points, but showed far too little consistency in their game. But the Brandt from the 2022/23 season is suddenly a completely different one. Since Edin Terzic has been working with him, the 26-year-old has blossomed more and more – and is showing qualities that were previously not associated with him. Like the aforementioned cleaning lady from the film, he now plays several roles at BVB. And often at the same time: he is the creative head on the offensive, a dangerous standard shooter and a busy worker against the ball in one person. The last time to admire was the clear 5-1 win over SC Freiburg on Saturday.
“Outstanding standards”: Schlotterbeck praises Brandt
“Jule has been our player alongside Jude Bellingham. He’s having an outstanding season,” said BVB defender Nico Schlotterbeck in praise of his team-mate. “What he’s doing up front. Which ways he’s going. He’s made brutal defensive progress. He saves almost every ball. And scores goals.” Brandt also scored against Freiburg, which is extremely impressive from a distance. But his corners were even more valuable for the course of the game: three of them then led to Dortmund goals – a club record. And that’s a discipline that wasn’t one of Borussia’s strengths until recently. “Jule shoots outstanding standards,” judged Schlotterbeck. It is progress that can also be attributed to Armin Reutershahn, BVB’s new assistant coach.
In Brandt, however, he found a teachable student who, in his fourth year in Dortmund, made the step up to becoming a reliable and mature team player. He has five goals and four assists in his 19 Bundesliga appearances so far this season, plus four penultimate passes that have resulted in goals. His running strength and meanwhile also his bite in counter-pressing are other important factors for Borussia Dortmund’s game, which he is shaping more and more.
Kehl is happy about Brandt’s “great development”
“Jule,” said sporting director Sebastian Kehl after the Freiburg game, “has made a great development. He’s much more stable, more robust and has more presence. We always knew that he was a great footballer. Now he’s showing it over a longer period of time. ” This change to more consistency potentially came at just the right time: Brandt’s contract with BVB ends in 2024. And unlike at the beginning of the season, when many observers still saw the former Leverkusen player as a candidate for sale, he is now seen as someone who can play an important role in the black and yellow for years to come. There really are worse negotiating positions.
