Borussia Dortmund

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Zidan looking forward to return: "Dortmund and BVB are my home"

[4.02.] "I´m full of joy, full of motivation, full of confidence and full of energy," said Mohamed Zidan. His plane from Cairo was scheduled to arrive in Düsseldorf at 1030 CET on Thursday morning, and in the afternoon he was expected to return to training (1730). After four and a half weeks with the Egyptian national team, Zidan is ready to give his all for Borussia Dortmund again.

"I can´t wait to get going again," said the 29-year-old who had been a regular in the starting line-up before the winter break and before being called up for national team duty.

Won the Africa Cup of Nations with Egypt: Mohamed Zidan (left).

In Angola, Egypt defended their title and won the Africa Cup of Nations for a third consecutive time, and the seventh time in total. In this tournament as well as in the one before, Mohamed Zidan again proved to be a key player for Egypt. "I played an important role," said the tricky attacking player who returns to Dortmund with a goal and three assists.

By the way, Jürgen Klopp, of all people, is the reason why he can´t call himself a triple African champion. Zidan was named to the Egypt squad in 2006, "but we were in thick of the relegation battle with Mainz. And the coach asked me to stay with the club. I watched the final in a hotel room before an away game in Hamburg."

In the 2010 semi-final against Algeria he scored the important second goal. The victory was some consolation for Egypt after losing the World Cup play-off game against them in November 2009. "I just wanted to score so bad. I waited the whole tournament for this moment." And in the final, Zidan also set up the winning goal. "We were two against four," said the BVB player remembering the counter-attack in the 85th minute. "I slid the ball past three defenders right into the path of Mohamend Gedo. One contact. Shot. Goal!"

This Thursday he returns to Dortmund. "I´m home again," said Zidan, "Dortmund is my home." And his smile shows that it´s not only an empty phrase. That his team-mates sent him "countless text messages" to wish him luck "has impressed me very, very much. I even chatted with some of them, and with Owo I talked on the phone every second or third day."

The member magazine BORUSSIA and Sunday´s edition of ECHT, Borussia Dortmund´s new matchday programme, will also feature a story about Mohamed Zidan and his Africa Cup of Nations adventure (in German).