Ian Maatsen feels "trusted" at Borussia Dortmund
Ian Maatsen has come a very long way in his development as a player since joining on loan from Chelsea this past winter. The young Dutchman has had an instant impact for Dortmund and was an immediate breath of fresh air at fullback for the club.
In an interview released by Ruhr Nachrichten, Maatsen discussed how the trust the club has shown him has boosted his confidence and allowed him to flourish on the pitch:
" I feel the trust of the coach and my teammates - and also that of our fans. That has boosted my self-confidence a little more. I know what I'm capable of, and I try to show that in every game. I already knew BVB well because its a big club and one of the most successful in Germany. I watch a lot of football in general, so I've seen BVB games from time to time. I was very happy when the club showed interest in me."
- Ian Maatsen
So far, the trust Dortmund have shown the player has been rewarded with mostly exemplary showings. The dynamism and forward thinking nature of his play was sorely mising for Die Schwarzgelben on the defensive end of the left flank this season, with the more conservative Ramy Bensebaini occupying this position after joining from Borussia Mönchengladbach on a free transfer in the summer.
Bensebaini's more conservative approach to playing fullback would eventually grow stale and the team suffered as a whole for it. Maatsen however has all the elements needed in a modern fullback; he is deceptively far more physical than his frame would suggest and he is a very committed runner and often finds himself all over the left flank throughout games, and even drifts into midfield when the game calls for him to do so. His creativity and ability to put in a pass on the attacking front does not diminish the defensive work that he does, which is an important quality for a fullback to have in this day and age.
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Maatsen has also highlighted the Bundesliga as a great league for one to showcase their talent in, which is something he has done for Dortmund week in, week out since joining. The way he has seemlessely adapted to play in the Bundesliga highlights his talent, but also how comfortable he is in Germany, which could very much be one of the deciding factors in whether Dortmund can make his stay at the Westfalenstadion permanent.