Sven Mislintat opens up on unsuccessful second stint at Dortmund

Sven Mislintat has lifted the lid on his unsuccessful return to Borussia Dortmund

Sven Mislintat made his name as a scout at Borussia Dortmund before departing for Arsenal in 2017.

After stints at the London club, Stuttgart and Ajax, Mislintat returned to the club where it all began in May 2024 as technical director, with high expectations for a dream reunion between the Black and Yellows and the 52-year-old.

However, things didn’t go according to plan, and Mislintat left in February 2025, just nine months later.

“The collaboration didn’t work out the way we all had hoped. You have to acknowledge that – and draw the right conclusions to avoid ending up in a similar situation as a club or personally in the future,” Mislintat said in an interview with Kicker, reflecting on his second spell at Dortmund.

He strongly denied accusations that he overstepped his authority as technical director.

“I always adhered to my employment contract – and to the directives of my superiors, Lars Ricken and Aki Watzke,” Mislintat emphasised.

He also rejected claims that he left a trail of “burned bridges” at his previous clubs.

“I disagree with that. But it is true that I am very outspoken and opinionated. High performance isn’t achieved in comfort zones,” he added.

According to Mislintat, two measures could have helped resolve the differences between him and sporting director Sebastian Kehl:

“First, in the context of the restructuring, Sebastian Kehl should have been given the same long-term contractual clarity as Lars Ricken and me.

“Second, it would have been helpful to clearly define and communicate the new roles, responsibilities, and tasks – both internally and externally. For example, at a joint press conference where all questions regarding the new structure could have been answered in detail. But in hindsight, we are all wiser,” he said.

Despite the unsuccessful stint, Dortmund remains close to Mislintat’s heart.

“I was born in Dortmund. BVB was, is, and will always be my club. I owe a great deal to BVB – especially because Michael Zorc and Jürgen Klopp placed so much trust in me,” stressed the long-time scout.