Julian Brandt opens up on criticism after Sporting CP game | OneFootball

It's been a tricky season for Julian Brandt who spoke to the media after Dortmund's second-leg stalemate with Sporting CP which ensured passage to the Champions League's last-16.

The 28-year-old has regularly been singled out for criticism this campaign as he continues to search for consistency. However, Brandt stated he tries not to let it affect him as he attempts to raise his game on the pitch.

“The personal criticism, whether justified or unjustified, I don't notice that much myself. But I'm right in the middle of it. I'm on the pitch, I know how we play, I can reflect on that.”

"I know that if you don't win a lot of games, it affects you from a footballing point of view alone. I see reactions in the stands from our fans. I'm not someone who gives free rein to emotions. I do a lot with myself inside," he explained.

The 48-cap German midfielder believes he and his BVB teammates can learn from these challenging times and improve rapidly.

"But it's a difficult situation and that's also a reason for the lack of self-image and lightness in the end. It's a struggle, you have to get out of it. It's part of life and we'll learn from it and hopefully find our way to victories as quickly as possible," he added.

With 5 assists in 9 outings, Brandt has saved his best efforts for the Champions League this season. Meanwhile, the Bremen native has only produced 3 goals and 5 assists in 19 Bundesliga games thus far.