Suddenly on the bench? Bundesliga regular faces nightmare start
That the football business is brutal and can turn into an absolute nightmare from one day to the next is something even established stars have to experience time and again firsthand. Jobe Bellingham, ...
BVB midfielder Jobe Bellingham is facing the possibility of a poor season start as a regular on the bench. The Englishman had established himself as a consistent figure for Dortmund after a strong second half of the previous season. However, a 1-2 Super Cup loss to Bayern seemed to change everything. Reports indicated that Bellingham might not feature in the starting lineup for Dortmund's opening match against HSV on June 7th.
The 20-year-old lost the ball in the build-up to Michael Olise's goal, a turning point in the game. BVB coach Kovac defended Bellingham, but it seems he might not be used as a defensive midfielder for now. This could be due to Joey Veerman's presence, Dortmund's new signing who is more experienced and a better playmaker than Bellingham.
Despite the criticism BVB coach Kovac has received, he likely wants to avoid a poor beginning to the season. The acquisition of Veerman for just under €22 million from PSV Eindhoven seemed justified by the sporting director and CEO Lars Ricken, who praised Joey's creative, technical, and visionary skills. Nevertheless, Dortmund will have to manage with Veerman and first-choice international Felix Nmecha in defensive midfield for a while, as both players might need rest days due to the demanding schedule of the cup, Champions League, and league.
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