Not in our living room: Watzke on the Nmecha controversy

Not in our living room: Watzke on the Nmecha controversy The BVB president has spoken out! Felix Nmecha’s much-debated goal celebration has been causing unrest at Borussia Dortmund for several days now. After scoring twice against Elversberg (2–1), the Germany international once again removed an invisible crown and placed it on the pitch. The gesture has been linked to “The King’s Return” campaign and the “Ballers in God” network—the very network that BVB’s Fan and Supporters’ Department recently publicly criticized in no uncertain terms. Speaking on the “colourFIELD tell-a-vision” podcast, Hans-Joachim Watzke has now addressed the heated debate at length, expressing understanding for the fan base: “The Fan Department is perfectly entitled to start a discussion like this. I attended their annual general meeting on Monday. Those who were bothered by parts of his celebration were clearly in the majority. In that case, you have to take it seriously and discuss it.” At the same time, Dortmund’s president makes it clear that this is neither a personal issue nor a criticism of the player’s faith: “I like Felix Nmecha very much. We have a very, very good relationship and talk frequently. As a practicing Catholic, I’m also the last person who would want to forbid anyone from praying. That’s not what this is about at all. It’s perfectly legitimate, too. The only issue we’re discussing with him is the second part of his celebration.” By this second part, Watzke specifically means the act of placing the imaginary crown on the ground, and he explains where he draws the line: “When he scores a goal and points his index fingers upward, everyone knows he wants to thank God. He’s welcome to make the sign of the cross as well. But placing the crown on the pitch—that does, of course, have something of a link to ‘Ballers in God.’ I don’t even want to pass judgment on it. But when I look at what they stand for, Borussia Dortmund’s code of core values and the fundamental outlook of ‘Ballers in God’ aren’t entirely compatible.” In this context, the 67-year-old is unequivocal about the club’s position: “And that’s why people here—especially in the Fan Department—get the impression that an attempt is being made to create a link to ‘Ballers in God.’ We don’t want that in our own home.” Behind the scenes, club officials have already spoken to the 26-year-old, as Watzke goes on to reveal: “I told him: Felix, if you sense that it’s dividing the fans, perhaps you’ll also come to see that you should stop doing it because it divides them. He wants to think it over. We had a wonderful conversation with him. We spent an hour on a video call. That’s where things stand now, and he’ll think about it. I hope we can find a sensible solution.” This confirms what had already emerged: Watzke hopes he will drop the gesture. Nmecha, meanwhile, recently made it clear that his celebration was not intended to support any particular organization or promote intolerance or discrimination. This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇩🇪 here.