The situation is tense, the pressure is gigantic: crisis club Borussia Dortmund and its coach Nuri Sahin, who has come under increasing criticism, are facing a groundbreaking test with big potential against RB Leipzig. Of all things, a win is essential in the duel with second in the table and former coach Marco Rose.

The omens ahead of the top Bundesliga game are bad. Self-confidence is in the basement, the opponent has been unbeaten in 19 Bundesliga games in a row and the Dortmund squad is seriously thinned out. Hope rests once again on home strength. The party also becomes a mood test.

When the DFB Cup was eliminated after extra time in Wolfsburg, the displeasure of the BVB fans who had traveled with them was expressed in stunned silence. Now the supporters should be the much-needed support. “We have to stand together, we have to gather our strength, we have to work hard on things.” “Then we will have a home game against strong Leipzig on Saturday and then we will need our fans too,” said sports director Sebastian Kehl. BVB has won every game of the season at home so far.

Sahin is actually supposed to close the coaching construction site

Both the 44-year-old Kehl and managing director Lars Ricken are doing their best to nip debates about Sahin in the bud. “We only have discussions about how we can get our quality onto the pitch or win games. “About nothing else,” Ricken said last Picture When asked whether there would be no coaching discussion even if there was another defeat against Leipzig.

“After games, I naturally see Nuri thoughtful, but still focused and communicative.”Ricken explained. “His relationship with the team is intact, he prepared the games with his team very well before and after. It’s meticulous, analytical.” Sahin is actually supposed to shape an era at BVB. Since the end of the era of Jürgen Klopp, who moved to the Red Bull cosmos, which is so hated by many Dortmund fans and which also includes RB Leipzig, the coaching position at the Revierklub has been a kind of permanent construction site. It should be closed with Sahin.

The now 36-year-old played for Dortmund as a teenager and became a professional there. The Borussia idol as a successful coach, the idea is good. But after less than five months it threatens to develop into a misunderstanding. The big question in the event of further failures is: How much patience do the bosses actually have?

A bad season would also have major financial consequences

The only really realistic chance of a title has already been lost with the exit from the DFB Cup. Leaders Bayern and Leipzig already have seven points in the Bundesliga championship fight. What’s even more important, however, is that if Dortmund’s downward trend continues, BVB risks falling behind in the race for the important Champions League places.

“We also finance our business model through the Champions League qualification.” “We no longer have any points to give away, the seriousness of the situation is of course recognized,” said Ricken. Reaching the premier class is the “common benchmark”. Every BVB coach knows that.

It is doubtful whether the turnaround will be successful against Leipzig, who are still unbeaten in the league. Especially since Sahin, like in Wolfsburg, has hardly any personal variation options in the cup. Among others, Karim Adeyemi, Julian Ryerson, Niklas Süle and Yan Couto are missing. There is no real improvement in the personnel situation in sight. And now regular goalkeeper Gregor Kobel, who was injured in the cup game in Wolfsburg, is also out. Sports director Kehl remains optimistic – at least that’s what he says. “I am convinced that we don’t need much to win games,” he said.