Six kilos lost

Brandt describes: “The only way was to the loo”

Julian Brandt has lost six kilos.(Bild: APA/AFP/INA FASSBENDER)

Julian Brandt has revealed new details about his illness. In February, the Borussia Dortmund attacking player explained the reason for his absence at the start of the second half of the season, and he has now told the Ruhr Nachrichten newspaper just how bad the 27-year-old's condition really was.

"The only way was to the loo - and that was difficult," Brandt revealed. "I really don't want to hide behind it, but it wasn't that easy. You lack the feeling on the pitch, the rhythm to make the right decisions. That's how it looked for me as well."

At the start of the second half of the Bundesliga season, the 47-time German team player missed two games due to flu-like symptoms, and the BVB star lost six kilograms within two weeks. 

Criticism from supporters
Fans, who had apparently been unaware of the illness, noticed the drop in form and consequently criticized the Bremen player. Understandable, as Brandt himself thinks: "Then it might be the case that one or two people say: 'You played like shit'. That's not a problem." In the meantime, things are looking up again, as the spectators were recently able to see in the 2:0 win against Bayern Munich. "I can certainly do even better. I'm already ambitious enough that I still want to take one or two steps forward in the next few games," says Brandt.