DORTMUND (dpa-AFX) - Despite a projected deficit of up to 22 million euros following an unplanned Champions League exit, Borussia Dortmund will not be forced to sell key players, according to Sporting Director Lars Ricken. "The budget will hardly change. Therefore, we do not have to sell players," Ricken said in an interview with the Funke Mediengruppe.
Following their elimination in the playoffs against Atalanta Bergamo, the listed Bundesliga club announced a significant reduction in its earnings target for the 2025/2026 season. Instead of a profit of up to five million euros, Dortmund now expects a loss of up to 22 million euros.
No Consequences - At Least for the Squad
"The damage to our sporting reputation is significantly greater than the financial impact. It is utterly frustrating and painful that we are ruining our results this year. However, we have worked so diligently and responsibly in recent years that the club's economic stability is not at stake," Ricken affirmed, while nonetheless seeing a substantial need for a post-mortem this summer.
Outside of the Bundesliga, where BVB currently sits second in the table, the former international is far from satisfied. "Firstly, the exit from the DFB-Pokal against Bayer Leverkusen - against a team that is nine points behind us in the Bundesliga standings. We had a home game and failed. That was a major disappointment," Ricken said.
"The early exit from the Champions League is the second factor. And we didn't get knocked out by a European heavyweight. We were simply too lightweight this season," Ricken noted. Following the end of the season, there is to be a correspondingly "detailed and intensive analysis."/lap/DP/men
