Bitter realization for a proud club
That’s what BVB coach Rose says about the Champions League in Lisbon
Borussia Dortmund embarrassed themselves at Sporting Lisbon and thus prematurely retired from the Champions League. BVB coach Marco Rose, who complained about the lack of consistency and uncompromisingness after the game, was accordingly pissed off.
Borussia Dortmund failed miserably in the Champions League. The defeat in Lisbon made it very clear that the team did not meet high standards. With the departure, the farewell to superstar Haaland should come closer.
FSoccer is a relatively simple game. It comes down to scoring goals and preventing goals. Anything that does not serve one purpose or the other is negligible. What good is it if a team plays a neat ball in the areas between the penalty areas? Nothing. What’s the point in having the ball as long as possible? Zero.
Borussia Dortmund’s elimination from the Champions League made it very clear what Marco Rose’s team lacks: consistency, penetration and uncompromisingness in front of their own as well as the opposing goal. This, in turn, is often quickly associated with mentality, with a lack of will.
Frustrated: Marco Reus
Quelle: AFP/PATRICIA DE MELO MOREIRA
But that would not only be too easy, it would even be wrong. It’s something else – and that doesn’t make it any better. On the contrary. Borussia Dortmund lacks quality. That may be a steep thesis if the player names from the squad are used as a basis: Hummels, Witsel, Bellingham, Reus, Haaland, Reyna or Hazard. Yes, BVB has a number of highly talented professionals, blessed with talent. Some are also experienced. All of these players certainly have a certain class – some a little more, the other a little less.
Schulz is not competitive in the Champions League
For one thing, many of these players are currently unavailable. At 1: 3 in Lisbon, which meant the end of the Champions League, Hummels was suspended. Haaland, the Torgarant, has been injured for weeks and will probably continue to be.
Here it becomes clear where the problem lies. Because if left-back Raphael Guerreiro is injured while warming up in Lisbon, Marco Rose will have to let Nico Schulz play. Schulz owed the 0: 1, laid the foundation for the defeat and was replaced at halftime. He is simply not competitive in the Champions League.
The decision in Lisbon: Pedro Porro (r.) Headed the ball past Dortmund goalkeeper Gregor Kobel to make it 3-0 into the goal
Those: dpa / Armando Franca
In central defense, Marian Pongracic played instead of Hummels. The same applies to him as to Schulz. And in the end, when almost nothing was going on, Steffen Tigges was substituted on – a U23 striker, extremely hard-working and with a fighting spirit. But overwhelmed at a high level. The situation is similar with Felix Passlack, who has already had to step in as a full-back several times this season.
Haaland’s departure is now even more likely
The gap in the squad is far too great to be able to meet one’s own high standards. There is a lack of high-quality alternatives in phases of the season when the staffing levels are thin and the regular employees are tired. This should be known to anyone who – once again – wants to have a debate about a lack of mentality.
The penalty transfer to the Europa League costs Borussia Dortmund dearly, which is particularly painful in these Corona times. BVB suffered a loss of more than 116 million euros in the pandemic. That won’t upset the club, but the lack of money from the Champions League won’t make it easier to make long-term changes to the squad or to make a good-quality succession arrangement if Haaland actually leaves. That has become even more likely since Wednesday.
Then there is the psychological effect. It is not exactly encouraging to be eliminated from the Champions League like this. Not even with regard to the Bundesliga – and the upcoming top game against Bayern on December 4th.
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