Borussia Dortmund's Marcel Sabitzer below-standard performances down to positional merry-go-round

Borussia Dortmund’s Champions League campaign started in promising fashion this week with a 3-0 away win over Belgian side Club Brugge. Brugge gave Dortmund quite a bit of trouble across the first 60 minutes or so, but following the introduction of Jamie Gittens, the game opened up in favor of Die Schwarzgelben, allowing them to claim three important points.

As mentioned, Brugge made it difficult for Dortmund for a large portion of the game, which saw several of Dortmund’s players struggle. Among them was Austrian international Marcel Sabitzer. Sabitzer came into the season off the back of being a very important player in Austria’s Euros campaign. He had also been an important part of Dortmund’s Champions League final push last season as well.

This season has seen Sabitzer put in performances that whilst not horrendous by any standard, have not had the same critical impact we’d seen last season and over the summer. One of the catalysts for this has been head coach Nuri Şahin’s recent tendency to shift Sabitzer’s position on numerous occasions, with the player featuring across the midfield as well as out wide. After the game, Sabitzer commented on this and stated that while he was able and willing to play multiple positions, his best position was as a number six:

"The number six is better. It's such a different game for me than playing in the centre; not the ideal position. But you play where the coach puts you. You have to respect that."

- Marcel Sabitzer

Şahin responded to this statement by the player stated that while he knew this, he felt it necessary to put Sabitzer onto the pitch to help supplement Dortmund’s midfield against Brugge, even if it wasn’t in his preferred position:

"My relationship with Sabi is very good. So I don't need the press to tell me that Sabi prefers to play as number 6. He's already told me that ten thousand times. I also know that Sabi plays better at number 6. But there are situations where we need Sabi in that position. At the moment he's playing there. But he'll also play a lot of games as a number 6. I really wanted to have Sabitzer in the side against De Cuyper because we knew that he's very dangerous."

- Nuri Şahin

It is a testament to Sabitzer and his willingness to bend to what’s necessary of him that, in part, makes him such a strong and valuable player for Dortmund. The player has shown on numerous occasions that he’s able to play in more advanced positions and it also says a lot about the player if Şahin is still trying to fit him in despite it not being his best position.

That being said, both player and coach seem to be very clear on what position he can have the most impact in, and Şahin in particular has already underlined that he will be playing Sabitzer in his preferred position as well. There is an argument to be made that pushing Sabitzer into the role(s) he has occupied this season was meant to make room for Emre Can in the starting 11, with the German international occupying the defensive midfield duties in the squad.

Depending on whether Can is able to stabilize his performances, we may end up seeing more of Sabitzer and Pascal Groß splitting defensive duties in the middle of the park. This may end up fitting better into Şahin’s tactical view as both Groß and Sabitzer can attend to defensive duties but also progress the ball forward after breaking up play, acting as a link between defense and attack which we've seen as a lacking aspect of Can’s game.

Sabitzer has had more than one voice come out and indicate that they expect him to bounce back from this period of underwhelming performances. Alongside Şahin, former Dortmund coach Peter Stöger has backed his Austrian compatriot to persevere, even if the situation is currently frustrating for him, as the player has already endured far tougher situations:

"He's pissed off, you can tell that very clearly. He doesn't like that. He also played an incredible season last year and was really the one who preceded it, an absolute performer. And then you find yourself in a new construct, maybe with other players, where the coach has an idea that someone else is playing in your regular position and you have to fit in somewhere else. It's hard for him, but I think 'Sabi' has mastered far more difficult situations."

- Peter Stöger

One of the main traits that many admire about Sabitzer is his ability to work hard and adapt. He has a vast wealth of experience to draw upon courtesy of his already substantial career and has the proper mindset to continue to be an important player for Borussia Dortmund this season.