Borussia Dortmund, the Bundesliga football club, has made significant additions to its coaching staff by bringing on board club legends Nuri Şahin and Sven Bender as assistants to head coach Edin Terzić. The move, announced on December 31, 2023, is aimed at providing fresh impetus to the coaching staff and strengthening the team’s prospects for the second half of the season.
Nuri Şahin, who had been in charge of Antalyaspor since concluding his playing career with the Turkish Süper Lig side in 2021, and Sven Bender, who had been working as an assistant to the Germany U17 team, both return to Borussia Dortmund, where they enjoyed successful playing careers. The former midfielders, who were part of the squad coached by Jürgen Klopp that won the Bundesliga title in the 2010/11 season, will join Edin Terzić at a winter training camp in Marbella.
Sebastian Kehl, Dortmund’s sporting director, expressed the club’s commitment to enhancing the coaching staff, stating, “In Nuri Şahin and Sven Bender, we’re adding two specialists and personalities who will enrich us both in terms of content and character thanks to their different experience and qualities.” The club is optimistic that the duo’s expertise will contribute to the team’s success in the second half of the season.
Borussia Dortmund finished as runners-up in the Bundesliga last season and entered the winter break in fifth place, 15 points behind league leaders Bayer Leverkusen. Despite their domestic challenges, Dortmund performed well in the UEFA Champions League, topping their group ahead of Paris Saint-Germain. The upcoming second half of the season includes a crucial Champions League last-16 tie against PSV Eindhoven.
Edin Terzić expressed his satisfaction with the addition of Nuri Şahin and Sven Bender to the coaching staff, emphasizing that it was his clear desire to have them as assistant coaches. Terzić sees the opportunity for both Şahin and Bender to bring their experience and knowledge to the team while developing as young coaches.
Both Nuri Şahin and Sven Bender played pivotal roles in Dortmund’s success during their playing careers. Şahin, who became the Bundesliga’s youngest-ever player at the age of 16, played a crucial part in Dortmund’s title-winning campaign in the 2010/11 season. His performances included six goals and eight assists in 30 league appearances, and he notably scored against defending champions Bayern Munich in both victories.
Following a move to Real Madrid and a loan spell at Liverpool, Şahin returned to Dortmund in January 2013. Despite injury setbacks, he remained an integral part of the team and finished with 26 goals in 274 games across his two spells with the club. Şahin then spent two years with Werder Bremen before moving to Antalyaspor in August 2020. He transitioned to coaching and led Antalyaspor to respectable seventh and thirteenth-place finishes in his two full seasons as the manager.
Sven Bender, now 34, contributed significantly during his time at Borussia Dortmund, scoring four times in 226 games between 2009 and 2021. He played a key role as a holding midfielder in the memorable 2010/11 season and remained with the team for their subsequent successful campaigns. Bender lifted the Bundesliga trophy again in the 2011/12 season and was part of the squad that secured a convincing victory over Bayern Munich in the 2012 DFB Cup final.
After winning the DFB Cup again in 2017, this time alongside Nuri Şahin, Sven Bender joined Bayer Leverkusen in the same year. His career, marked by immense talent, was unfortunately disrupted by injuries, leading to his retirement at the end of the 2020/21 season. Bender then transitioned to coaching, working with the German Football Association as an assistant to the Germany U17 team before his recent appointment with Borussia Dortmund.
The return of Şahin and Bender to Dortmund adds a nostalgic touch to the coaching staff, reuniting them with the club where they achieved remarkable success as players. The club’s decision to bring back these two former stars reflects their belief that Şahin and Bender will contribute significantly to Dortmund’s pursuit of success in the Bundesliga and the Champions League. As the team prepares for the challenges ahead, the presence of these experienced and familiar faces is expected to energize both the coaching staff and the players in their quest for silverware.
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By- Sahiba Suri