Ewald Lienen has launched a scathing criticism of Borussia Dortmund following their Supercup defeat to Bayern Munich. The 72-year-old former Bundesliga coach spoke on a podcast, condemning BVB's approach as unfair and dirty.
The criticism was reported by Express and came as the German football summer break ended on the podcast "Der Sechzehner". Lienen specifically referenced the 2-1 loss from last Saturday. He named Julian Ryerson, Soumaïla Coulibaly, and Ramy Bensebaini as examples of players who, in his view, tried to succeed through holding and fouls. "It was immediately clear: I am unfair, I hold on, I foul, I try to succeed in a dirty manner somehow," Lienen said verbatim.
What exactly did Lienen criticize about BVB?
The experienced coach's criticism wasn't just about individual incidents but about a fundamental attitude. Lienen saw a pattern in the Supercup that went beyond isolated fouls. He even drew a comparison to negative examples from the 2026 World Cup, where Paraguay and Argentina were said to have displayed similar behavior. For him, there is a clear line that Dortmund crossed.
What particularly bothered him was the reaction of manager Niko Kovac on the sidelines. The 54-year-old BVB head coach allegedly accepted his players' behavior as normal and didn't correct it, according to Lienen. This is a central point of criticism, as the responsibility lies with the coach to shape his team's playing culture. Lienen made clear he rejects this style of coaching.
Why is Kovac no role model for Lienen?
The personal disappointment with Niko Kovac was evident in Lienen's statements. "Niko was not a role model for me there either. I do not believe in such a way of coaching," the 72-year-old said in conversation with DAZN commentator Michael Born. For a coach with Lienen's experience and principles, accepting unfair play is unacceptable.
Lienen, who coached in the Bundesliga himself for many years, emphasized his fundamental belief in clean sport. The mentality he criticized doesn't fit the image of a Borussia Dortmund side that finished as runners-up last season with a solid defensive record of only 34 goals conceded. The team had a strong campaign with 73 points and 22 wins, but ultimately finished 16 points behind Bayern Munich.
What's next for Borussia Dortmund?
The criticism comes at a delicate time. Borussia Dortmund is on the verge of starting the new season. Their next match is already on August 29th against Hamburger SV at the Signal Iduna Park. The team will want to put this negative headline behind them quickly.
The final results of last season, visible in our stats section, show some inconsistency with the WWLWL form. The coming weeks will reveal whether the team under Kovac takes a different path. The focus is now on the home game against the 13th-placed side, which marks the start of a new title challenge. The current standings show BVB in second place, a position they aim to improve upon this season. First, however, the team must prove it can succeed through fair means.
