Borussia Dortmund's number 10, Julian Brandt, finally spoke to the press regarding his severe criticism from fans this season, which put his future at the club in doubt. In a recent interview with Sky Sports, Brandt openly discussed the avalanche of criticism that he has been dealing with in the past few months and how that affects him.
"Of course, you notice it (criticism). You have no chance of shielding yourself from it."Julian Brandt
Julian Brandt was honest about his management of criticism, reflecting on how other people surrounding him have been dealing with it as well, and whether that splashes on him:
"The worst thing for me is the pity I have received. People have come to me and said: That is a lot, hard, and unjustified. It is not about me. I do not have an ego issue."Julian Brandt
Finally, Brandt took responsibility for his leadership role within the team and claimed he is happy with shielding the team from inconsistency during this season. He, however, did not mention any details regarding his future.
"I do not have to be the one who is in the newspapers all the time. But if that is the case, because the club is going through a difficult time and someone needs to be found to take the lead, then I am happy to do that, too. No problem."Julian Brandt
Whether Brandt will stay or leave BVB is a question that will only be answered by the end of the season. With fans debating whether it is time for Dortmund to move on from the number 10, it is undeniable that Brandt has made a case for his stay with recent performances. While the Champions League was also a factor in play in this decision, Brandt showed a lot of bravery in this interview, as he has received fair, but sometimes out of proportion, criticism during this campaign.