This is one outlet's own report from Yahoo Sports — the article as it was filed.
AIPROPX ReportYahoo Sports · 25m ago
With the fans, something big can happen
“With the fans, something big can happen” – Ball chat with Popp and Kobel
The loud reception Alexandra Popp received on the specially built stage by the lake already made it clear just how important women’s football has become to BVB fans. Despite all the experience she has gained at top-level clubs in Duisburg and Wolfsburg, the season opener a week ago at Stadion Rote Erde left a strong impression on the new captain: “More than 4,500 spectators against Bielefeld. That’s not even something you see regularly in the Frauen-Bundesliga. Awesome that this is already happening at BVB in the Regionalliga. It really makes you want more.”
The huge excitement surrounding this transfer coup is also evident in shirt sales. Although Popp has only been at BVB for a few weeks, the jersey with her name is already among the club’s ten best-selling shirts. “I didn’t expect it to create such a buzz,” said Popp.
BVB as a “childhood dream”
The enthusiasm of the fans and her close connection to Borussia Dortmund have reinforced Popp’s belief that dropping down from the Bundesliga to the Regionalliga was exactly the right decision: “I’ve been fortunate enough to experience so much in my career. But now wearing the shirt of my childhood dream is something words can’t describe. I’m happy I was still able to fulfill that dream.”
By signing a three-year contract, Popp is tying herself to major ambitions. She makes no secret of it: “With these fans, something really big can grow. In terms of infrastructure, within the team — there’s so much room for improvement, so much potential. It’s great to be able to help develop that.”
She is also confident when asked about her goals by the end of her contract in 2029: “I want us to be in the first division by then. If things go the way I imagine, my final year would already be in the first division. And that we could even achieve a mid-table finish there. And show: we’re here, and we’re here to stay. After that, we want to aim for the very top.”
Kobel: “I believe we’re capable of a lot”
Unlike the women, Dortmund’s men’s team were denied success in their first competitive match of the season. Despite the narrow 2-1 defeat to FC Bayern Munich in the Franz Beckenbauer Supercup last Saturday at a sold-out SIGNAL IDUNA PARK, Gregor Kobel is heading into the season with confidence. “In the end, we had the chance to get more out of it. That makes it twice as frustrating. But you have to be able to move on from that,” he commented, referring to the improved performance in the second half and Maximilian Beier’s big chance to equalize shortly before the final whistle.
What especially gives Kobel encouragement are the impressions made by the summer signings. “The guys who came in have a cool spirit. You can tell they want to be successful and bring real joy for the game. That’s good for us,” said the goalkeeper.
Kobel is expecting the two Greeks, Konstantinos Karetsas and Giannis Konstantelias, in particular to bring fresh impetus to the attack: “You can tell both of them are eager to play. They brought in fresh energy, were brave, and tried to create things. They can be a lot of fun to watch. I really believe in them and have the feeling they have enormous potential and can deliver straight away.”
As he prepares for his sixth season at BVB, the 28-year-old is longing for his first title: “The goal is to have something in our hands at the end — for all of us. It’s a long and tough road. But we’ve got a great squad. I believe we’re capable of a lot.”
Looking forward to the derby
The new season has a first in store for both Popp and Kobel: each of the two leaders will play their first derby against FC Schalke 04. As a newly promoted side, Königsblau are among the co-favorites in the women’s Regionalliga, just as they are among BVB’s biggest rivals in the men’s game after returning to the Bundesliga. The derby will be renewed on matchday 12 at the beginning of December. Kobel is already eagerly anticipating the clash: “I’m extremely excited for this game. I missed two derbies through injury. It’s a fixture that belongs in the Bundesliga. I’m glad it’s back.”
This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇩🇪 here.
AIPROPX is an independent multi-source news index — we track, compare, and connect coverage from across the web into one place you won't find anywhere else.
