Borussia Dortmund is taking special measures for the first league game after the international break out of concern for its German national players. As the Bundesliga club confirmed on Thursday, a private jet was used to return Mats Hummels (34), Niclas Füllkrug (30), Julian Brandt (26) and Niklas Süle (28) from the USA immediately after the DFB test. Eleven charted against Mexico. The game will take place in Philadelphia on the night of next Wednesday at 2 a.m. German time.
This is intended to increase the chance of the four BVB professionals playing in Borussia’s Bundesliga game at home against Werder Bremen on the following Friday (8.30 p.m./DAZN). The majority of the DFB entourage will travel from Philadelphia back to Frankfurt later on Wednesday and arrive there on Thursday morning.
In the opinion of the BVB management, this would leave the Dortmund players with too little time to regenerate and deal with jet lag with a six-hour time difference. The cost of the private jet is estimated at almost 100,000 euros.
“The performance of our players has top priority”
“The topic of sustainability is of great importance to us as a club. By scheduling our league game against Werder Bremen, we are faced with a special situation during this international match period; the performance of our players has top priority. We generally compensate for our team’s air travel with recognized certificates “That’s how we act in this case too,” commented BVB when asked Picture.
DFB sports director Rudi Völler recently reported that there was also the possibility of moving the Dortmund league game from Friday to Sunday. BVB did not want to accept this option with reference to the Champions League game away at Newcastle United three days later.