Sancho 'has no problem with discipline', says Dortmund boss Watzke

Borussia Dortmund CEO Hans-Joachim Watzke shot down suggestions the returned Jadon Sancho was difficult to manage, saying the England winger "has no problems with discipline".

Sancho was named on the bench for Dortmund's Bundesliga match away at Darmstadt on Saturday, having returned on Thursday on a six-month loan from Manchester United.

Speaking before the match with Sky Germany, the Dortmund chief said the club had few issues with Sancho, who spent four years at the Westfallenstadion from 2017 until 2021.

"Jadon has no problem with discipline" Watzke said, "I don't know who thought that up."

"The lad has a bit of a problem with his internal clock and can be a bit late from time to time."

Watzke said Sancho had retained his dribbling skills, calling him "a friend of the ball."

Watzke said he thought "some journalists seem to have him mixed up with (Ousmane) Dembele" who spent one season at the club before going on strike to force a move to Barcelona in 2017.

Sancho won the German Cup at the end of the 2021 season before moving to United for a fee of £73 million ($93 million, 85 million euros).

Sancho had been frozen out at United for most of the season after becoming involved in a public spat with manager Erik ten Hag, who said he had not applied himself in training.

The 23-year-old posted on social media in September that he had been made a "scapegoat" for the club's poor performances.

Dortmund manager Edin Terzic hinted that Sancho would get some game time despite making the move just 48 hours ago, telling Sky "we hope that he can influence the game today".

Dortmund sit sixth, six points behind fourth-placed RB Leipzig.