GERMAN LEGEND LOTHAR Matthaus says that Borussia Dortmund’s signing of Jadon Sancho was a major coup for both the club and the league, comparing Sacho’s arrival to “winning the lottery”.
Sancho has proven a revelation since breaking through with Dortmund’s first team, providing seven goals and nine assists in 21 Bundesliga appearances this season for the league-leaders.
The 18-year-old winger’s success earned him three caps in 2018, just one year after leaving Manchester City due to a lack of playing time.
It took just a reported £8 million fee to secure Sancho’s move to Germany, and Matthaus says that money looks like the bargain of the century.
“I saw him for the first time two years ago – at the European U17 Championship,” Matthaus told Ruhr Nachrichten.
“England played against Norway and I was in the gym on the treadmill, in front of me on the screen was the game. Normally I do not let anything change my focus, but there I stopped after 15 minutes because I followed the game and I noticed a player: the left side winger for England.
“Dribbling, double passes. Very strong! I called my manager to tell me who that is and where it came from. Five minutes later the SMS returned: Sancho, Manchester City.
I called him and told him that if he signed him, he could make a lot of money. I had only seen him play for ten minutes. And to get that for little money from in England is like winning the lottery.
“He not only helps Dortmund, he also helps the Bundesliga beyond the borders. In England, the Bundesliga is gaining in importance, and now he is an international player.”
Sancho will return to England on Wednesday as Dortmund face off with Tottenham to open the Champions League knockout stages.
Matthaus says he expects Sancho to be extra motivated for the match at Wembley Stadium, a match that provides a chance to prove his previous doubters wrong while solidifying his spot as one of the game’s brightest young talents.
“The young players like Sancho are bursting with self-confidence. They are now prepared differently for professional football, for this big stage,” he said.
“He hits the balance between self-confidence and arrogance and is not overbearing. For this sort of player I count Sancho, in the Bundesliga also a Serge Gnabry or a Timo Werner. They are the future.
“Sancho will not let himself be driven crazy in Wembley, but he will enjoy showing off in England. And he can also show it to his former coach Pep Guardiola, who did not put his trust in him and let him slide through the screen. He is a player just like Leroy Sane. I’m surprised Guardiola did not see that.
Sancho will also start his dribbling in Tottenham. He can make the difference in the Bundesliga, even against Leipzig or Bayern Munich. Why should that be different in the Champions League?
“If this continues, Dortmund will again be able to record a very high transfer revenue. I hope not in the next year or two. The player seems like he feels good and plays in Dortmund in one of the 10 best teams in Europe.”
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I’m supporting the Boks lads. Let’s hope for one great final
@WillKeepTheW: same it would be amazing to see Kolisi lift the trophy.
@WillKeepTheW: Live:https://tinyurl.com/y68vph5p
@Md Sohan Khan: its on free to air you pair in the arse
@Doire: You’re talking to a bot lad!
Did anyone notice the RTÉ commentators talking about the fantastic weather that has accompanied this tournament. Eh, Typhoon lads?
@Ian Synnott: Live:https://tinyurl.com/y68vph5p
@Ian Synnott: I’m in Japan here for it. Weather has been great one bad typhoon that made landfall. All that was needed was to sit in for a day and safe in the city areas. Walking around in a t shirt at 24 degrees yesterday in Nov
To echo Brian O’Driscoll’s sentiments- I hope expansive entertaining rugby wins. If S.A. try to grind out the attritional bang ‘n bash rugby that we saw in the semi-final I’d prefer to see the Eng v NZ semi-final rugby brand win handsomely. Despite being an old Hibernian I’ve nothing too much against England winning if so be it.
@Md Sohan Khan: alright like go away
@David O Callaghan: in fairness, boks are better team so far
Best of luck South Africa!!!
England all over the shop. The New Zealand match was a one off.
Cmon England
13 point Bok lead with under fifteen minutes left. Wow, didn’t see this scenario. Unbelievable.
@David O Callaghan: Indeed! Clearly Ireland would have clobbered the Boks! Haha!
To think we could have been in the local today cheering on Ireland – according to the media not so long ago :-)
Congrats South Africa
England’s win over New Zealand win was built off a dominant forward display and SA are on top in the pack so far. As long as SA are controlling the pace of the game and where it’s being played England will struggle as the Springboks can just turn the screw with their monster pack and blitz defence. The issue for SA is they were so dominant early doors but haven’t put up scores and they’ve a number of lads struggling with injury already
@Eddie Hekenui: Boks power and defence totally shutting down England so far. They just can’t get a foothold in the game but with their back 3 they’ll only need one chance to turn their fortunes around. Marler making a big impact in the scrum. Koch and Kitshoff aren’t the same power scrummagers so England might be able to right the ship
@Eddie Hekenui: totally out forwarded england also played garces and slowed the ball at every opportunity to prevent eng getting on the front foot. well done sa
Long evening for Dan Cole.
Why do the English always build them selves up to be better than they actually are, a country of bottlers
@dan o keeffe: Ah don’t be bitter. Have a lager for a change.
@dan o keeffe: because they’re English and always think they’re better than everyone else.
@dan o keeffe: Yeah very true, thy should look at Ireland, we never do that.
@dan o keeffe: abit unfair at least they have got to finals and have won a world cup, we are the real bottlers of world cups.
@Bluepoolroad: far from bitter my friend, england losing is nearly better than Ireland winning…..I’m delighted they got destroyed men v boys today
@dan o keeffe: the only thing that built them up was their performances. They were outperformed today
SA Best team by far on the day they were magnificent- Eddie Jones will be very sour now
Another in a long line of teams to have shot the full load in the semifinal.
@Thomas O’ Donnell: I would rather shoot the load all over the place in a semi-final than constantly struggle to get an erection once the group stages finish.
Can’t wait to see the puss of Eddie Jones after this.
@Tim Quigley: Two time loser! Still he humbled NZ, and now RFU! Not bad ;)
There won’t be a cow milked in KwaZulu-Natal tonight
South Africa playing typical cup rugby helped by refeering of the scrum
England in serious bother now
Garces ignores possible forward pass,revenge for Brexit!!
@tom whelan: Did TMO spot it or just you?
YES!!!!!
England by 4
@Coco86:
@Coco86:
@Coco86:
@Coco86:
What a step by Koble!!
This is an abysmal game so far. During the anthems, naturally enough as soon as God save the Queen comes on, I’m saying, come on the Boks. After watching the actual game, I’m desperately hoping England can turn it around but not looking likely. Didn’t realise South Africa have never scored a try in any of their finals, jaysus….
@Michael Garvey: There’s your try. Let’s have a couple from England.
“Lord Nelson, Lord Beaverbrook, Sir Winston Churchill, Sir Anthony Eden, Clement Attlee, Henry Cooper, Lady Diana, ! (we have beaten them all, we have beaten them all!). Maggie Thatcher, can you hear me? Maggie Thatcher … your boys took a hell of a beating! Your boys took a hell of a beating!”
…good old fashioned Towns Cup rugby is alive and well….
England’s backs are playing poorly. If they can get that right they can still win it in the 2nd half. The South African scrum half is really poor and ponderous. If he was quicker/better South Africa would be already be out of sight
I love it. What a result.
Don’t cancel the victory parade. Just slow it down a bit.