DORTMUND – Borussia Dortmund captain Marco Reus said Wednesday
that the team fully supports the club leadership's season aim of
winning the title, because the squad has the quality to achieve it.
"We must start to believe every day that we can achieve something,"
Reus said as he and other prominent players such as new signings Nico
Schulz, Thorgan Hazard und Julian Brandt joined pre-season training.
"Based on the last season and our transfers as well it must be our
aim to be at the top (of the Bundesliga) in the end and to do better
in the (German) cup and the Champions League. That doesn't only come
from the club leadership but from within the team as well."
Dortmund's last Bundesliga title dates back to 2012 as Bayern Munich
have won the next seven titles.
Dortmund led by nine points last December but missed out again by two
points, with some critics saying coach Lucien Favre should have
explicitely aimed for the title instead of remaining cautious.
Schulz, Hazard, Brandt and returning Mats Hummels have cost Dortmund
more than 100 million euros (112 million dollars) and further
strengthen a squad which also includes the likes of English sensation
Jaden Sancho, experienced Belgian Axel Witsel and Germany forward
Mario Goetze.
Reus welcomed the return of the former Germany centre back Hummsels
from Munich, saying: "We hope for a lot from Mats. It is always
helpful to have several players in the team who have a certain
personality."