BVB II travel to Rot-Weiss Essen on Sunday (2pm, RevierSport liveticker). RS spoke to a BVB II striker ahead of the neighbourly comparison.
Borussia Dortmund II is fighting against relegation in the 3rd Division. And now it’s off to Rot-Weiss Essen on Sunday (19 February, 2pm).
RWE is just three points ahead of BVB’s U23. So it stands to reason what the Dortmunders’ goal is: Win in Essen – BVB already won the first leg 1-0 – and drag Rot-Weiss down with them.
RevierSport spoke to Michael Eberwein (26), striker of the BVB second team, before the derby at the Hafenstraße stadium. In the current season, the Borussia attacker has 15 appearances and three assists. Last year’s goal-scorer for Halleschen FC is still waiting for a BVB II goal this season.
Michael Eberwein, you must have followed Monday’s match between Viktoria Köln and RWE with interest, right?
Yes, of course. So of course I took a look. After all, Essen was our next opponent.
What kind of Essen team did you see in Cologne?
RWE fights, bites – they are a real third league team. That will be a tough game for us.
The mood at RWE threatens to turn completely negative in the event of a defeat against Dortmund. Is that perhaps the advantage for Borussia?
It’s hard for me to say what the mood is like in Essen and what it would be like after a defeat. But one thing is clear: Our goal is to take something home from Essen. We’ll be working hard all week to achieve that.
You mention Jan Zimmermann: How is the cooperation with the new head coach?
We had just three days of training under him before the Saarbrücken game. That was almost still a getting-to-know-you phase. He watched us and didn’t want to change too much after the win in Ingolstadt. This week, more will happen.
What was the mood like in the team after Christian Preußer left?
It’s never nice when a coach has to go. It’s always a defeat for each individual and for the whole team.
When you returned in the summer of 2022, did you expect BVB II to be playing for relegation?
With an U23 team, you always have to have that in mind. We have a lot of young players and underwent a big upheaval in the summer, so it’s not surprising that you have a year like this where you’re fighting against relegation.
SC Freiburg is at the top of the table, Borussia Dortmund at the bottom: How do you explain this third-league tableau to a fan who is perhaps only interested in the Bundesliga?
This calculation is too simple. Otherwise, there would have to be completely different teams in the 3rd Division. About Freiburg: They simply manage to achieve consistently good results and come through team unity. We have a lot of individual class and don’t have to hide from Freiburg. But it is also a fact that we have shown this class far too rarely as a unit. We simply have to function better as a team. And that goes for the pitch. Because outside of it, the atmosphere is really good.
You scored 13 goals for Halle last season, but you haven’t scored at all for BVB in this series. What is your personal record so far?
I can’t say I’m satisfied. That’s clear. But that’s not what matters. For me, it’s always about the team being successful. If that’s the case, then things will go better for me personally, for everyone. In the end, everyone benefits from the team’s success.
The big crowd in Essen will certainly not inhibit us. On the contrary: the boys all want to reach high and play in front of such spectators. Essen is the perfect place for everyone to show their best side in front of this great backdrop.
Michael Eberwein
You have committed yourself to BVB II until 30 June 2026. Why?
I was here before and there was actually no better time for me than at BVB. The people here, the conditions, I really enjoy it all. As an experienced player, it excites me to lead a young team and to be surrounded by so many great talents.
Back to the derby in Essen: To what extent will the atmosphere actually play a role on Sunday? After all, BVB II is the weakest team at home and one of the better teams in the league away from home.
The big crowd in Essen will certainly not inhibit us. On the contrary: The boys all want to go out on top and play in front of such spectators. Essen is the perfect place for everyone to show their best side in front of this great backdrop.
