Borussia Dortmund captain Emre Can: "I do see that I am sometimes treated unfairly.”

With Borussia Dortmund set to take on Club Brugge in the first match of this year’s new-look UEFA Champions League, head coach Nuri Şahin was joined by club captain Emre Can for the pre-match press conference. While much of the talk was of course centered around the upcoming game, other topics that included Can also came into play during the discussion.

Can, since joining the club, has often been a source of criticism for spectators, be it because of his actions on the pitch, or sometimes his words off the pitch in post-match interviews, which have been past sources of ire from the fans. According to Can, however, this criticism is at times unfair, with the German international seeing himself as an "easy target" in some instances:

"I do see that I am sometimes treated unfairly. I played a good European Championship and, apart from one game, always played. It is often too easy for me to just pick out one player. I know I am the captain of this team and have to take responsibility for a lot of things. But I find some things unfair."

- Emre Can

It can’t be said that Can lacks effort or dedication for his role in the squad. Dortmund’s captain often puts in robust, physical performances that one would expect from his profile of defensive midfielder. It is this very physical play however that sometimes creates issues, with the player giving away penalties and silly fouls due to on-pitch altercations. Credit has to be given to the player though, with some of these mistakes being worked on over more recent seasons.

It also has to be said, that having a physical presence in the midfield is very useful in certain situations, which makes his profile of player important to have. He has also worked on his own temperament and it’s taken more to get a rise out of him on the pitch since he became the club’s captain.

Unfair criticism comes into play of course when a player begins to be derided for these errors in a more vulgar or expletive way that doesn’t show respect to them as a person. As we’ve come to see in the era of social media, this has become unfortunately more common as time goes on.

That being said, constructive criticism of the player’s game, or perhaps stance towards on-pitch related events founded in a solid argument and portrayed respectfully is, at least in my eyes, something every player will come across throughout the duration of their career, particularly if they play for a club the size of Borussia Dortmund. Playing as club captain, as Can himself notes, puts a player under more scrutiny externally, as their worthiness of having the armband will be judged on their performances, even if internally who wears the captain’s armband is a bit more arbitrary.

In Can’s case, a good European campaign with Germany does not take away from fluctuations in form, and therefore the attention that has been put on him in Dortmund’s midfield. Lacking some of the attributes many would like to see from a modern defensive midfielder (such as a propensity for more forward-thinking play and a better ability to transition defense into attack) will put a player’s undisputed place in the starting 11 into question. Can’s job now is to let his performances silence those who have an issue with what he brings to the pitch for the club, and to let his passion for the club and sport elevate his game so that he can bring his best qualities to the pitch week in, week out for his team.