Dortmund hero Owomoyela anticipates “intense” renewed Revierderby rivalry with Schalke 04

Borussia Dortmund icon Patrick Owomoyela senses the Revierderby with arch rivals FC Schalke 04 may take time to regain its overall importance. This, he feels, is largely due to the Gelsenkirchen side’s three-year absence from the Bundesliga and their waining dominance.

“It is [a big game], but it hasn’t been there for so long now that people [from Dortmund and Schalke] were urging for it. However, it’s still something that’s far away,” Owomoyela told Bulinews.com and others at a media round table event in Munich last week.

“Even when they [Schalke] were still in the Bundesliga [most recently], it was still important for the fans, but it wasn’t as important for the outcome of the season compared to playing against Bayern.

“In my time, it was [very important]. Firstly, we were both competing for the championship, so the derby was the biggest game. You could lose all the games but if you won those two [against Schalke] it was a perfect season [for fans].

“At least it felt that way, but now it has changed. Now Bayern is the biggest rival. The fans are happy that it [the Revierderby] is back, but it’s not shining as brightly as it did during my years as a player.

“I mean, when we come to within two weeks or a week out from the game, then I am sure my feelings will change,” the Hamburg native said with a smile, casting his thoughts forward to the clubs’ first meeting in early December.

When asked if he would like to see the Royal Blues return to a level akin to the era of the 2010s which saw regular European football, the 46-year-old welcomed the idea. He reckons it would give the Ruhrpott’s heavyweight clash some added spice.

“It would be fantastic if it wasn’t just [an important fixture] for the pure rivalry, but also an important game for the [outcome of the] season. That would add to the importance of it and that would be something [special].

“It will be a fantastic game, it will be intense and a hard-fought fight, I’m sure. But of course [Schalke becoming more successful] would add a special ingredient to this derby for sure,” he said ahead of the early December encounter.