DFB.de regularly previews a national team player ahead of an important weekend for their club side. This week we have chosen Erik Durm, who is set to make his 100th professional appearance against Hertha BSC on Saturday (15:30 CEST).
Erik Durm has already gone through numerous big changes in his life and is still only 22. Within a short time period, he successfully made the transformation from a student to a professional and from a striker to a defender. He went from only coming off the bench to make appearances to becoming a regular in the starting line-up. He became a Germany international, winning the ultimate prize in football – the World Cup. He became a celebrity. Durm has experienced many changes in his life; Franz Kafka would've had a good time with him.
The pace and frequency of life-altering changes in Durm's life have never bothered him. He quite frankly didn’t have the time to reflect on all the things that are happening to him. "I'm a kind of person, who likes to go through things with his head," Durm explained several weeks after the World Cup, just as the Bundesliga was starting to pick up pace again. "I therefore think that a regular rhythm is good for me. Things come one after another and it's good that it does. I would like to keep this tunnel-vision for as long as I can."
However, a torn muscle fibre in his groin during Borussia Dortmund's winter training camp in La Manga forced him to take a time-out and ended his rhythm. He then spent a lot of time in an area he is very familiar with but would definitely have liked to avoid: sports medicine. During his time in Mainz, Durm studied Sports Science with a particular focus on injuries and their treatment. Durm would've liked to finish his studies, but his dream of becoming a football professional collided with that. "It was very difficult at the time, as I didn’t yet have the financial means to buy a car," remembers Durm. "I always had to ride my bike to the University and I know this sounds stupid, but it cost me a lot of time. I then realised that it would not be possible for me to give 100% both in my studies and in football."
Durm was absent from the game for a substantial period after being struck down with a very tenacious flu, including chills, 40°C fever and a sinusitis. He lost several kilos during this time. New problems emerged with his groin and his calf and he was sidelined for a full three months.
He made his comeback in the third league with BVB's reserve team during a 1-1 draw with Arminia Bielefeld on March 7th. It was another example of metamorphosis in his career – a long-term injured player becomes a bearer of hope. Since then he has returned to Jürgen Klopp's team. He returned to the first team starting line-up for DFB Cup quarterfinal with Hoffenheim, where his assist for Aubameyang's 2-2 equaliser became another great side note in a fascinating career so far. It could prove crucial as Dortmund are looking to cap off the season and Klopp's reign with a DFB Cup final victory on May 30th against VfL Wolfsburg.
Durm's next opponent in the Bundesliga happens to be Berlin, as Dortmund host Hertha BSC on Saturday (15:30 CEST). BVB still have plenty to play for as they look to secure a ticket for next season's Europa League. A special game awaits the 22-year-old, as he is set to make his 100th appearance as a professional (33 games for Mainz, 66 for Dortmund so far). It’s also an important game for Hertha, who are fighting for survival. There aren’t many games left to play this season and Durm is looking for a strong run-in with Dortmund before he takes his next time-out.