Julian Brandt Reflects on Delayed Champions League Kickoff Due to Concert

omidbasir- Borussia Dortmund forward Julian Brandt addressed the unusual circumstance surrounding the delay of last night’s home Champions League match, which was caused by a concert by renowned German musician Herbert Grönemeyer. Hailing from Bochum, a neighboring city and one of Dortmund’s rivals, the concert generated significant traffic, preventing the BVB team bus from reaching the venue on time.

Fortunately, the delay did not negatively impact Dortmund’s performance. They commenced their 2025/26 Champions League playoff round with a commendable 2-0 victory over Atalanta Bergamo. Striker Serhou Guirassy played a key role, contributing both a goal and an assist. The makeshift defensive lineup, which included young talent Luca Reggiani, succeeded in maintaining a clean sheet.

Veteran Julian Brandt, who captained the team during this match, shared his thoughts on the concert-related delay post-game. The 29-year-old expressed mild frustration at the extended traffic, but also found silver linings in the situation.

“It was a strange day for us because we arrived at the stadium late,” Brandt remarked during an interview with Amazon Prime after the match concluded. “Such occurrences are inevitable when concerts are nearby or when roads are closed. We ended up taking a route that left no options for the bus to navigate.”

Despite the late arrival, Brandt noted that the team managed to channel the stress into their gameplay. “Everything unfolded quickly after we reached the stadium,” he continued. “I believe the stress ultimately worked to our advantage, as we remained focused. We transformed that stress into energy and stayed alert throughout the match.”