Jadon Sancho flopped during Borussia Dortmund’s Champions League clash with PSV Eindhoven but you cannot say the same of his former Manchester United team-mate Marcel Sabitzer.
It was a proud night for Austrian football fans the continent over, two of the nation’s biggest names stepping up and hogging the headlines on Europe’s biggest stage.
While Marko Arnautovic finally made Inter Milan’s dominance count against Atletico Madrid – the one-time Manchester United target slotting in a late winner – Marcel Sabitzer made a key contribution of his own as Dortmund secured a creditable draw with PSV at the Philipps Stadium.
A mixed night for former Manchester United team-mates
Sabitzer, back in Germany after a loan spell at Old Trafford in the second half of last season, laid on Donyell Malen’s deflected opener with a clever pass early on.
That, as far as former international Dietmar Hamann is concerned, was the icing on top of a lip-licking performance, Dortmund’s £16 million signing the driving force behind a BVB outfit who could have been forgiven for wondering if they were playing with ten men as Jadon Sancho’s ever-declining career hit a new low in Eindhoven.
“With (Mats) Hummels, they had a rock in the back. Sabitzer also ran (the game) and straddled a lot in the midfield,” Hamann tells Sky Deutschland, the experienced duo rolling back the years.
“These are the performances that people expect from (Sabitzer) in Dortmund.”
Sabitzer, unlike Sancho, left Man United with his head held high, even if the Red Devils opted against turning his loan deal from Bayern Munich into a permanent transfer.
While the former RB Leipzig captain arguably lacked the technique and poise in possession to truly thrive under Erik ten Hag, his vast experience and his willingness to lead by example is making the 29-year-old a key cog in the Dortmund machine both on and off the pitch.
Champions League assist for Sabitzer
“Always an important ball chaser, he often anticipated (the threat) defensively and helped out where he was needed,” writes Sporx in their post-match ratings.
“Sabitzer mostly held back in the offensive game today (due to his defensive duties) but provided the assist for Malen’s opening goal.”
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