Borussia Dortmund, after securing a valuable victory in the Champions League at Sabah, hurriedly left the stadium in Azerbaijan. While coach Kovač attended the usual press conferences and some of the yellow protagonists were undergoing anti-doping tests, most of the team returned to the hotel. It was not a question of public order reasons, but of a hygienic need: to take a shower. The Germans did not want to wash in the locker rooms reserved for friendly teams in the stadium, to avoid health risks.
A curious story, which actually follows what had happened in the previous days. Borussia, after getting to know the Olympic Stadium in Baku, had preferred to freshen up in the hotel after the final training session. Coach Kovač confirmed everything at the press conference after the 2-1 victory over Sabah: "There were no surprises. We didn't shower here in the stadium either yesterday, after the final training session. We were recommended not to use the stadium showers, but to shower in the hotel. That's why we rushed back."
But what was unusual about the changing room showers in Azerbaijan? Dortmund sporting director Nils-Ole Book justified the choice this way: “I think the hotel showers were a bit more welcoming. For that reason, we tried to get the players back as quickly as possible.” When asked further, he explained: “More welcoming… you can imagine. The shower area here is not exactly the height of elegance.”
In fact, there was no apparent defect: the installations appeared to be in order and well-maintained, in keeping with the prestige of the activity taking place there. According to Bild, what worried Borussia Dortmund was the fear that the showers might contain legionella bacteria. This risk occurs when water fails to circulate normally and freely through the pipes, creating the possibility that the bacteria can be easily inhaled through tiny water droplets dispersed in the air.
Therefore, it was better to return to the hotel, where the facilities offered greater guarantees. There, BVB was also able to benefit from the treatments provided in the spa area, to recover in the best possible way. A detail that should not be underestimated, given that Napoli will also play in the same stadium. However, there are those who do not believe this version. Sabah footballer Joy-Lance Mickels wanted to refute the claims of his rivals: "I don't know what the problem is and I don't want to make insinuations about BVB. We showered there just last week, before the match against Slavia Prague. The showers are perfect and there is no shortage of hot water."
