Sven Mislintat opens up on unsuccessful second stint at 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.