<a href="https://www.archysport.com/2022/04/assassination-attempt-on-the-bvb-bus-the-perfidious-act-almost-tore-the-club-apart/" title="Assassination attempt on the BVB bus: The perfidious act almost tore the club apart”>Nuri Sahin wanted to take some time off the clock. The BVB coach called Ayman Azhil over shortly before the final whistle and substituted him for Maximilian Beier. Azhil usually plays for Borussia Dortmund’s second team. The 23-year-old benefited from BVB’s injury woes and celebrated his debut in the Champions League against Sturm Graz. Together with Borussia’s core squad, he was able to celebrate a hard-fought 1-0 win.
Sahin had to do without nine players against Graz and sent an emergency eleven onto the pitch against the Austrian champions. The strength dwindled with every minute, but Joker Donyell Malen redeemed the team with his goal in the 85th minute.
“We created a lot of chances to score. In the end, I don’t care how we get the three points. We finally kept a clean sheet again. It’s huge for the offenses, they have to make every play right now and go through so many routes. You noticed in the second half that we only played against Leipzig on Saturday evening,” said BVB defender Nico Schlotterbeck.
“They’re at the limit”
“We had to make it 1-0 earlier, but we couldn’t do that. At Graz the strength simply didn’t diminish. When I see Julian Brandt, when I see Serhou Guirassy – they are at their limit. As a coach you have to exercise a bit of sensitivity. We have to go one more time. Then we can recover a bit. Then we can say: Things are really getting started.”
Next Saturday BVB has to play Mainz 05 in the league. Sahin hopes that at least the injured full-back Julian Ryerson will rejoin the team. After the game in Mainz, the league will pause for two weeks because of the Nations League. Enough time for BVB to clear out its hospital.
