“Don’t know if that’s a motivational issue”

National player Julian Brandt does not see a lack of motivation and willingness to work as the reason for Borussia Dortmund’s recent moderate performances.

“I believe that the basic motivation is in everyone. I believe that one or the other expresses it differently. Everyone shows it differently,” said Brandt sky: “Nevertheless, I don’t know if that’s such a motivational issue.”

The offensive player sees his club, which has slipped down to eighth place in the Bundesliga, confronted with “a lot of resistance of all kinds”. “Whether it’s a team that’s deep in the back, whether it’s aggressive, whether it’s a team like Manchester City in the Champions League, for example, who of course attack extremely well. And who constantly resist for more than 90 minutes,” said the 26-year-old: “I think that’s an extreme issue for us at the moment. In addition to the footballing qualities that we have to slowly try to bring back onto the pitch.”

Brandt also called for more attention to be paid to the “fun factor”. “We have to let the sparks fly back to the fans. And I think those are the two really big pillars where we really have to be careful,” he said: “And of course it’s not like there’s a giant leap from one day to the next coming. But step by step we have to succeed again.”