Later called it a “great victory”: Mats Hummels (Dortmund, right)
Photo: AFP / Daniel Roland
Marco Rose looked a bit like someone who had just won a wild snowball fight with his boys in the snow-covered Frankfurt city forest. The olive-green bobble hat that the Borussia Dortmund coach himself wore at the digital press conference from the arena press room after a spectacular catch-up at Eintracht Frankfurt (3-2) went well with his mischievous grin. The caretaker hadn’t switched off the heating at all. The entire area under the main grandstand was well-tempered because 250 box guests were able to experience Dortmund’s first away success in the Main metropolis since September 1, 2013. Rose would have wished for a much more stately backdrop, because: “Without fans, everything is missing in this sport!”
In fact, the top game on Saturday evening would have been made to delight an alienated audience again in the pandemic. Eintracht coach Oliver Glasner spoke several times of an “absolute top game” – and in no way exaggerated: The strong Eintracht in the first half could even have led more than 2-0 through Rafael Borré (15th and 24th). But in the end, BVB, who woke up in the second half, cheered after goals from substitute Thorgan Hazard (71st), Jude Bellingham (86th) and Mahmoud Dahoud (89th). Suddenly, the gap to Bayern is reduced to six points. Rose didn’t want to say much about that, except: “We’d like to make the Bundesliga exciting, but we also know what Bayern are capable of.”
It can only help Dortmund, however, to have refuted their dependence on goal machine Erling Haaland for at least one match day. The Norwegian, pale by his standards, was content with a template and otherwise only offered imprecise deals before he entered into a violent scramble and arguing with Frankfurt warrior Martin Hinteregger over the playground equipment that Haaland quickly carried to the kick-off circle after the 2: 2 wanted. The fact that the BVB star striker got a yellow card because of his canon of abuse (87th) and later also built up threateningly in front of Borré double goalscorer, his coach saw as evidence of everyone’s ambition. After the setbacks against FC Bayern and Hertha BSC (both 2: 3) at the end of the first half of the season, just such a defiant reaction was necessary to prevent the annoying mentality debates from continuing into the second half of the season.
Spokesman Mats Hummels spoke of “a great victory”, although the defense chief, who was fully fit again, did not forget the “really big issue”: “We have to put stability at the top of our agenda if we want to achieve something. And if we want to win something this season, we need the energy level of the second half for over 90 minutes. «The soccer teacher could only agree with his class representative. Goals conceded according to standards (like the 0: 1) or ball losses (first Thomas Meunier, then Marco Reus before the 0: 2) were finally canceled.
Rose also deepened his keynote speech on sustainability, although he does not (yet) mean the ecologically fair production of fan accessories. It is precisely such defiant reactions when things don’t go that way: “That was an example of what it can and should look like.” Don’t give up, the 45-year-old preaches for the New Year. Despite the many simple ball losses: Nobody waved their hand, everyone supported the other. »The fact that we shot the game should show the boys that the subject of attitude is very worthwhile. I also call for sustainability on this topic, ”said Rose. »We never have a recruitment issue anyway: We ran 123 kilometers again, did over 260 sprints. So the game should give us something. ”Now let him be curious himself.
The next three Bundesliga games are against the immediate rivals SC Freiburg (Friday), TSG Hoffenheim (January 22nd) and Bayer Leverkusen (February 6th). If the young BVB squad passes these character tests, then maybe there is still something going on in terms of championship fight. Because FC Bayern, which failed on Friday, are currently plagued by far greater corona worries than their only serious pursuer. Nevertheless, the Westphalia would be well advised not to rate the successful start to the new football year too highly. Ultimately, their appearance provided too many pertinent indications that 2022 will also be a black and yellow balancing act.
The celebrated show of strength only succeeded because in the end, Eintracht played without structure and without guts. Frankfurt coach Glasner complained: “We behaved like the rabbit in front of the snake – and then the snake bit shut.” The Austrian had a bad fall with him E-scooter broken cheekbone on New Year’s Day: His eyes, which were still shimmering blue, somehow gave the impression that the lost Wild West duel in the wintry atmosphere had really hurt the Hessians.
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