BVB Defeats Bilbao: Dortmund’s Win & Late Drama

60 minutes from the textbook – then it was trembled in phases: Borussia Dortmund defeated Bilbao in the Champions League Athletic, but made it more exciting than necessary.

In the 4: 1 (1-0), BVB had confidently managed through goals from Daniel Svensson (28th minute) and Carney Chukwuemeka (50th) and also played it confidently, then the success was in danger until Serhou Guirassy (82nd) ​​and Julian Brandt (90.+1).

BVB sports director Kehl: “A phase in which it was a bit shaky”

“Today we had to survive a phase in which it was a bit shaky, the team was not at full strength. But then there was an incredible amount of positive things to report “ Sports director Sebastian Kehl said.

“We made a great game, scored four goals, it was a deserved victory. We are very satisfied, in the end our positive journey continues and that was our absolute goal. The facts speak for us, we have now had a defeat in the past 18 games.”

Dortmund’s Sabitzer: “Fight a bit in the back”

“We had to fight a bit in the back, but thank God we then pulled the game on our side with two goals”said midfielder Marcel Sabitzer.

“It must be our claim, we have the quality to be able to call up every three days. Actually, we could have brought it home more easily, if we always play serious, we definitely do a favor.”

BVB confidently against athletic bilbao over long phases

In the past two years, BVB had presented itself in the European top, in which Champions League reached the final (2024) and the quarter -finals (2025) – in the Bundesliga, Dortmund played at a significantly lower level. But against Bilbao it became clear again for a long time that there are no more differences between international and national BVB when the team sticks to the scene.

The team of coach Niko Kovac had played seven competitive games before the game, five of them won and lost none. One of the two draws had been given to the Champions League start at Juventus Turin when BVB gave a victory in 4: 4 due to two goal in added time. Against Bilbao, the Borussians played extremely seriously over most of the game and underlined their new face.

Dortmund controls the game and Svensson meets like in Mainz

At first there was no Dortmund spectacle against the Spaniards, but a lot of control and discipline, these virtues were obviously completely transferred to the Borussia blood under Kovac. The trainer then also accepts that at first the gates there was almost nothing like nothing and a shot in the goalkeeper of Marcel Sabitzer broadcast the first little bit of danger (20th).

BVB controlled the game, made almost no mistakes. Then Jobe Bellingham lost the ball 30 meters in front of his own housing, Bilbao had an overpayment situation near the goal – but the Dortmund hurried quickly. Ramy Bensebaini was able to dig the ball (26th) and clean up a situation that would have been dangerous some time ago.

Kovac had agreed to give his team the means of long diagonal balls and focus on the outside – and the strengthening of the wing game paid off.

In the 1-0, Julian Rerson sent BVB rights from Karim Adeyemi as the right rail player, who played the ball hard into the penalty area, where Svensson pushed in on the second post (28th). Last weekend, the left rail player in the Bundesliga near Mainz 05 (2-0) had scored an almost congruent goal.

Kovac brings Chukwuemeka for the first time – and he returns

Otherwise, Niklas Süle still had two long -distance shot matters in the 36th minute, there was no more exciting in the first half – especially because Dortmund did not allow anything defensively. And with the certainty of having such a strong back team in her back, it is easier to attack, as the 2-0 showed. Chukwuemeka used his starting eleven and surprised the Spanish national goalkeeper Unai Simon after a remarkable attack in the short corner (50th).

After this sense of achievement, the Dortmund approach changed something, the team positioned itself significantly deeper and left Bilbao the ball more. However, the Basques did not know much, the failure of top player Nico Williams was clearly noticeable.

Dortmund lets Bilbao come back into the game

But then the BVB brought the opponent back into play. After a harmless flank, Süle and Waldemar Anton made a slapstick insert, the defense duo finally put on the ball perfectly, which scored the connecting goal completely free-standing (61.). At that moment the question could be asked again whether Dortmund loses points lightly in the second game of the group phase.

Especially since the Kovac team now seemed unsettled and Bilbao gained more and more self-confidence. The Spaniards also met for the supposed 2: 2, but Robert Navarro was offside (67th). A little later, the left wing gave a big chance when he missed the long corner of the Dortmund goal from a Schlenzer from ten meters (71.).

Bilbao almost equalized, then Sabitzer happily shoots Guirassy

With a shot of the almost invisible Guirassy, ​​which Simon parried, BVB reported back on the offensive (75.). But on the other hand, Svensson had to prevent the balance with an outstanding defensive action. Navarro had prevailed and lay down again, but the Dortmund spanked the ball from the foot with the leg out of the leg out of the leg, which would otherwise have only had to insert into the empty goal from two meters (78.).

Svensson’s action (Kehl: “It is like a goal for me too.”) was as important as his goal for 1-0 – and his colleagues refined this rescue act. At first Brandt had checked Simon with a brilliant individual campaign (81.), after the following corner the BVB was lucky on its side. Marcel Sabitzer completed Volley after the turned cross and hit the foot of Guirassy purely purely, who gave way to the ball into the goal without active movement (82nd).

Kobel parries strongly and Brandt makes it clear before the top games

The BVB victory was on the brink for almost 20 minutes, but this moment gave the Kovac team significantly more security. After 88 minutes, Gregor Kobel got the opportunity to show his class after a long -range shot from Ibon Sanchez, otherwise his own goal was no longer in danger. However, not only to bring the two -goal lead – unlike in Turin – over time, but also expanded the result through Brandt’s shot into the short corner (90.+1).

After the strong run in the Bundesliga, the Borussians are again fully in the royal class with four points from two games. It was also the perfect attitude to two top games in everyday national life. Next Saturday (3:30 p.m.) BVB will meet the also strong RB Leipzig (four victories in a series), after the international break there will be a duel in Munich against FC Bayern on Saturday evening.