"Fresh energy" - Fans react as Dortmund announce lineup for Union Berlin clash
Borussia Dortmund have announced their starting lineup to face Union Berlin in the Bundesliga today and fans are surprised to see a lack of attacking players in the XI.
The BVB are in action at the Stadion An der Alten Forsterei tonight, looking to arrest their slump and return to winning ways for the first time post the international break.
Head coach Niko Kovac has reinstated many familiar faces after benching them against Bodo/Glimt in the Champions League in a surprise call.
Prolific striker Serhou Guirassy is back and spearheads their charge from the front, while Nico Schlotterbeck also returns after being rested for their Norway trip on Wednesday.
Felix Nmecha also takes his place in midfield alongside Jobe Bellingham whereas Maximilian Beier joins Ethan Nwaneri as the attacking midfielders behind Guirassy with Konstantinos Karetsas dropping to the bench.
With five changes to their lineup, fans are expecting to see quality attacking football from Dortmund tonight. Here are some of the best reactions:
One X user by the name Florian tweeted:
Full of creativity
Global Football Pulse wrote:
Five changes, fresh energy
Let’s see how this lineup delivers
Another fan questioned the decision to bench Karetsas:
Why is Karetsas on the bench? If he were properly utilized, he'd play like Prime Sancho
The sentiment was shared by another X user who got rather sarcastic about it:
It’s quite remarkable how difficult it is for good footballers to get a chance to play for BVB. Veerman and Karetsas, for example.
One fan wrote:
Wow, this lineup practically screams attacking football.
I’m absolutely speechless.
This X user questioned Nwaneri's inclusion in the XI:
Nwaneri is only here on loan, you do realize that, right?
How can you reward him for Wednesday’s match by putting him in the starting eleven?
Another fan had the same thought:
Better to start the player who is only here on a one-year loan, rather than giving confidence to our €30m signing... 🙏🙏 Don Kovac
A page called BVB Bundy was also disappointed to see Veerman and Karetsas on the bench:
Deploying three attackers against one of the league’s most porous defenses is proof of Kovac’s timidity and anxiety. Karetsas and Veerman belong on the pitch, not on the bench.
This user explained why Samuele Inacio didn't make the cut tonight after starting on Wednesday:
Inacio is sitting in the stands because Kovac was extremely dissatisfied with his performance and attitude against Bodø.
This X user questioned the lack of more attackers in the lineup:
Expected nothing, yet still ended up disappointed. A back five, Jobe preferred over Veerman (for more possession), Beier & Nwaneri…
Good grief, who’s supposed to score goals here, man? Only three attacking players—and one of them is Beier. What exactly does Kovač have against technically gifted players?
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