Missing mentality? The violent bankruptcy of Borussia Dortmund in the top game of the Bundesliga draws well-known points of criticism. The Dortmunders don’t want to leave it like that. Nothing has yet been decided in the championship fight with FC Bayern.
Dhe bus was ready to leave and the Borussia Dortmund players tried to get on as quickly as possible. It was planned anyway to fly back the night after the game. But after the way FC Bayern won 4-2 (3-0), the black and yellow tour group wanted to get home even faster.
On the way to the bus, BVB sports director Sebastian Kehl stopped by waiting journalists. He also reacted to a word that he had overheard – and that they have never liked in Dortmund. “Because you just mentioned the mentality: I don’t think we’re going to start this discussion today,” said Kehl, recalling “the good performances” of the past few weeks. “We won’t let that ruin us. We know that we made a lot of mistakes and were punished for them,” explained the 43-year-old. Then he even came up with a declaration of war: “We’re Borussia, we’re getting up again and the thing isn’t over yet.”
It was the legitimate attempt to regain the sovereignty of interpretation – after a fatal performance by the leaders. A catastrophic mistake by Gregor Kobel was enough to completely throw what was by far the most successful Bundesliga team of 2023. It was the total insecurity of Dortmund that decided the top game. nothing else.
Development work: Dortmund’s Niklas Süle (left) and Mats Hummels after the knockout at Bayern
Credit: AFP/CHRISTOF STACHE
After the BVB keeper’s own goal, who failed to hit the ball correctly when attempting to clear (13′), chaos reigned: Thomas Müller made it 2-0 (18′) and 3-0 (23′), both classic Abstauber goals, hair-raising mistakes had preceded. Nothing worked at BVB. “We’ve stopped fighting back,” said coach Edin Terzic.
Tuchel not satisfied despite victory
The so-called German classic, which was broadcast live in more than 200 countries, was not a glorification for the Bundesliga. Because the performance of Bayern, who are now back at the top with a two-point lead, was anything but masterful. Thomas Tuchel made that clear. “It was a very nervous, erratic start against very offensive, self-confident Dortmunders,” said the new Bayern coach. “We quickly led 3-0, but the game really didn’t allow for that. I would have wished that the 3-0 lead would become a dominant game. That was not the case,” explained Tuchel.
What Tuchel could rely on, in contrast to his Dortmund colleague: When the pressure is particularly high, certain player personalities are much more resistant than their Dortmund colleagues. Thomas Müller was one of those who led the way. The 33-year-old was particularly happy about his 25th brace in the Bundesliga because they were classic striker goals: They documented the fearlessness of a veteran.
Müller, who played in his favorite position in the central attacking midfield in the first game under Tuchel, also criticized the “utilization of chances” that prevented “at least three or four more goals”. A particularly bitter realization for BVB.
The stark opposite of Müller’s determination was embodied by Marco Reus on Saturday. There was no sign of the BVB captain. “We are all human,” said Reus afterwards. “If you’re 1-0 down here and you get 2-0 then obviously you don’t have that much confidence,” he explained.
Dortmund would not have given up. But in Munich it was particularly difficult to come back. However, Reus, whose contract expires in the summer, never made an effort to try anyway. Once again.
The result – which is still flattering for BVB – is grist to the mill of the critics. Dortmund have lost the last nine games in Munich, several of them clearly. It’s almost traumatic. The fatal balance sheet should have triggered a déjà vu after Kobel’s mistake. However, there are other reasons: Kobel lacked security after an injury break of several weeks, as did Julian Brandt. Nico Schlotterbeck had apparently gone into the game battered. So Terzic didn’t do everything right either.
So Dortmund flew home with a good portion of anger (Terzic). However, the decisive factor will be whether this anger can be transformed into new energy. “The championship hasn’t been decided yet,” said Kehl. Even if he mainly had tactical reasons for this statement – it’s not wrong.
