by Oliver Trust
BERLIN, Nov. 3 (Xinhua) -- Nuri Sahin might find himself trapped in a wired journey that he didn't ask for.
While life as a footballer or a coach traditionally delivers unprecedented emotions, the 36-year-old might have the feeling he has already experienced enough despite overseeing Borussia Dortmund for only a few months.
Ahead of the 2024/25 UEFA Champions League encounter against the Austrian side of Graz this Tuesday evening, the rollercoaster journey seems to continue.
"After he initiated a fundamental change in our squad this summer, things came as a heavy load for us," the former midfielder stated.
This time, things turned for the better as the Black and Yellows dug in their heels, making ground in the national league with a well-deserved 2-1 home win over Leipzig.
What is seen as a relieving strike came at the right time following a series of setbacks, with the struggling side developing a siege mentality.
"We took all we had and found into this game," the Dortmund coach said, being aware the 2021 German Cup winner must deal with a mysterious injury burden over the upcoming weeks.
Sahin admitted he never experienced a similar tight situation.
Ten injury cases ahead of the Leipzig game turned the issue into a challenge, with the situation not having improved ahead of the fourth round of the 2024/25 season Champions League games while playing at home is triggering optimism.
Five league home wins make the BVB the strongest home team, while three defeats and a draw in away games are causing concern "as we haven't found our balance yet and can't explain why we don't get our feet on the ground", the BVB coach admitted.
It might sound weird, Sahin admitted, "That playing at home with our fans in the back, we seem to enjoy a special energy."
While the teams' weakness in away games remains a mystery, "we need victories to gain balance," as sporting director Sebastian Kehl said.
Beating underdog Graz might provide further reason to talk about a turnaround and comes near a significant step in addressing the club's international ambitions.
Sahin called the victory over Leipzig a role model for the BVB's future game approach. The Dortmund coach spoke about "robust good feelings" despite the natural turbulences after the squad's re-launch and the injury losses.
"While we seem to be scraping the barrel, we now know we have the power to get over the upcoming weeks into the winter break," the Borussia coach added.
Going beyond limits remains inevitable for the squad over the upcoming weeks, Sahin said.
If things are to work out, Dortmund is forced to end its ups and downs. The home game against Graz is followed by the league away issue in Mainz on Saturday. ■
