BAD RAGAZ – Borussia Dortmund coach Lucien Favre has so many young players at his disposal that training feels "a little like being at school," the Swiss joked on Sunday.
His side won a pre-season friendly 11-2 against Austria Vienna on Sunday. The game went ahead despite the Austrians reporting two positive coronavirus tests. The duo were quarantined and negative tests for the rest of the squad meant the game could be played.
Big names Jadon Sancho and Erling Braut Haaland are both 20 while Dortmund have recruited English winger Jude Bellingham, who is 17 like American starlet Giovanni Reyna. Youssoufa Moukoko is also in the first-team squad and is just 15.
Reyna netted the first two goals on Sunday with Bellingham and Sancho also on the scoresheet.
Despite their young age, Favre believes they already have enough experience to be top talents.
"Bellingham, for example, may only be 17, but he already has a huge presence, he has already played second division in England," the 62-year-old told the Welt am Sonntag newspaper at the club's pre-season camp.
"Reyna is already an incredibly smart player for his age. Haaland played Bundesliga and Champions League in Austria before he came to us. The club is specifically looking for such exceptional talent.
"And the boys know that they get a chance to develop and play here. We do a lot for them as a club."
Moukoko is "an absolute exception at this young age," said Favre. The likes of Thorgan Hazard (27) and Marco Reus (31) "could almost be his father," joked the coach.
DPA