Time for a changing of the guard in German football
Status: 10:21 p.m
Everything seemed set for another failure. After Bayern’s defeat, the pressure on BVB was great. But this time Dortmund stayed cool. The master monotony can actually be broken. This is good news for German football.
Dhe chants came late. Only after Sébastien Haller had put the ball in the Augsburg goal for the second time in the 84th minute was the old Gassenhauer from Borsigplatz intoned. “Only BVB will be German champions,” rang out the crowd as Dortmund’s victory became clearer. This song was already sung in the days of Ottmar Hitzfeld in 1995 and 1996 or in the era of Jürgen Klopp in 2011 and 2012.
It seems to be that time again next Saturday: The eternal monotony at the top of the Bundesliga can finally be broken. Unless a miracle happens, FC Bayern will have at least a year’s break from the title.
Sébastien Haller (r.) scores to make it 2-0 and triggers a storm of cheers among the BVB fans in the stands
Source: dpa
Even if it wasn’t necessarily to be expected after the past few months: Dortmund seem to have their nerves under control again on the home stretch. They didn’t falter in Augsburg, although they had faltered so often before – against Bremen, in Munich, at Schalke, in Stuttgart or most recently three weeks ago in Bochum. Not this time.
human master
Even if predictions are more difficult than ever in this crazy season, there will very likely be a new champion. One that has often been mocked in recent months. The mentality problems have been said. Or just nervous weakness.
But in Augsburg, when everything seemed set to fail again, BVB stayed cool. Coach Edin Terzic’s players ignored the pressure of having to deliver after FC Bayern’s defeat. Dortmund were clearly the superior team. They took the chance. You can crown yourself on the last matchday. Bayern no longer have it in their hands.
In contrast to the champions of the past decade, the coming champion will not be a champion who has always been sovereign and untouchable in every phase. We have to get used to that after all the point records that Bayern had set. It will be a very human champion, especially if it is actually BVB. With weaknesses, with problems – but with great potential and in the end, it seems, also with determination.
“How many times are you willing to get up again?” Terzic said. That had been his guideline in the past few months. Dortmund were still in sixth place during the winter break. In the end, if they actually got up again more than Bayern – they would be a worthy champion.
