While on loan at Borussia Dortmund, Ian Maatsen is beginning to settle into the elite division of football.
Following a challenging start to the season with his parent team Chelsea, the 21-year-old left-back made the decision to acquire valuable experience in the Bundesliga.
Maatsen has played more minutes on the field in the 39 days after his temporary switch was officially announced than he did during Mauricio Pochettino’s tenure in West London.
In advance of Dortmund’s Champions League round of 16 matchup with PSV Eindhoven this evening, we examine a possibly pivotal choice made by the youthful Dutch player.
An instance of the blues
Maatsen, wearing a Chelsea shirt, appeared poised to make an impression at the end of the 2022–23 season.
Maatsen was chosen to the PFA Team of the Year for the second tier based on his four goals and six assists in 39 league games for the Clarets.
But even though he was back playing for Chelsea, who had recently placed 12th in the Premier League the previous summer, the Dutchman was unable to establish a consistent place in Pochettino’s starting lineup.
In 12 appearances in the top division, he was limited to just 199 minutes of action, and he only made two starts in the Carabao Cup.
After joining Dortmund, which was in dire need of a new left-back because to Julian Ryerson’s major knee injury, Maatsen’s luck took a turn for the worst.
In the six Bundesliga games that he has been allowed to start, he has assisted on goals in wins over FC Koln and Freiburg.
The full-back is also performing exceptionally well in important metrics, placing in the top 30 of the division for final third passes completed per ninety minutes, through balls done per ninety, and major chances created per ninety.
In terms of defensive third possessions won per ninety, Maatsen is ranked an amazing tenth, and Terzic knows exactly how much of a difference he has made for Dortmund.
“Ian is a very young player, but he already has a lot of experience under his belt,” stated the 41-year-old German coach. We’ve been keeping tabs on his development for a while.
“His contributions are substantial, encompassing both technical and physical aspects.
“He gives us another dimension in the build-up play because he also feels very comfortable in the middle.”
PSV get-together
Maatsen is excited to continue his impressive Dortmund play against PSV, the team he played youth ball for for three years prior to enrolling in Chelsea’s academy in 2018.
It appears that this will be the most rigorous assessment of his caliber to yet.
This season, PSV has made the Philips Stadium a fortress, and Maatsen will face Johan Bakayoko, one of the standout players for the Eredivisie leaders.
PSV gathering
Maatsen is eager to keep up his strong performance for Dortmund against PSV, the team for which he played youth ball for three years before joining Chelsea’s academy in 2018.
This looks to be going to be the most thorough evaluation of his caliber to far.
Johan Bakayoko, a notable player for the Eredivisie leaders, will take on Maatsen at the Philips Stadium, which PSV has turned into a fortress this season.
