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Last season, Borussia Dortmund reached the UEFA Champions League final against the odds. They defeated current La Liga table toppers Atletico Madrid and reigning French powerhouse Paris Saint-Germain en route to the Wembley showpiece. And had it not been for missing a plethora of guilt-edged chances, they may very well have defeated Real Madrid on the grandest stage of them all.
As history remembers, however, unfortunately, both Karim Adeyemi and Niclas Füllkrug couldn’t take their chances, which proved costly. Goals from Dani Carvajal and Vinicius Junior ultimately handed Los Blancos a record-extending 15th European Cup, leaving Die Schwarzgelben to lick their wounds. But the German outfit’s run to the final was only papering over the cracks.
Just seven months on from that Big Smoke showdown, Dortmund currently finds themselves way down in tenth place in the German top flight, prompting the online sportsbook world to write off their chances altogether. The latest odds from Bodog Sportsbook currently make them a whopping +100000 outsider in this year’s title race, somewhat unsurprising because they are 20 points adrift of the -1000 title favorites Bayern Munich.
But, should we have seen it coming?
Writing on the Wall
Two years ago, Dortmund almost stuttered their way to a first Bundesliga crown in over a decade. Despite not playing particularly well, the North Rhine-Westphalia outfit headed into the final day of the 2022/23 season at the top of the table, two points clear of Bayern Munich. And with a home game against Mainz all that stood between them and the Meisterschale, surely an unlikely triumph was just around the corner.
The game got off to a disastrous start, conceding twice inside the opening 24 minutes to fall to a 2-0 deficit. While they did recover to ultimately draw 2-2, that wasn’t enough as Jamal Musiala netted a last-gasp winner for Bayern away at Koln to take the title to Bavaria. To make matters worse, talismanic midfielder Jude Bellingham then departed for Real Madrid for over €100m, leaving Dortmund with a huge gap to fill in the middle of the park.
They attempted to rebuild with the money they received for the Englishman, bringing in the likes of Felix Nmecha and Marcel Sabitzer. But unfortunately, they couldn’t plug the huge Bellingham-sized gap. Dortmund finished way down in fifth place in the Bundesliga the following year, but the run to the Champions League final did plenty to deflect attention from the poor domestic displays.
It shouldn’t have.
Further Departures
One of the clearest contributing factors to Dortmund’s decline this season has been another weakening of their squad. Last summer saw the departure of several key players who were instrumental in their Champions League success. Niclas Füllkrug was the club’s top scorer last term, but he has departed for West Ham United, while Jadon Sancho’s loan spell finished and he returned to England.
Elsewhere, veterans who were crucial around the dressing room have also left. Both Mats Hummels and Marco Reus are two of the finest players of their generation, but they too have both departed the club, going to Roma and LA Galaxy respectively.
Plenty of money has been spent on replacements, but unfortunately only one of them has truly proved his worth. A combined €60m was spent on bringing in Waldemar Anton, Pascal Gross, and Maximilian Beier, but all three of them have struggled to justify their price tags. At least striker Serhou Guirassy certainly has, bagging 14 goals in 23 appearances since his €18m move from Stuttgart.
The Season So Far
Dortmund started the new campaign well, winning two of their first three games, but unfortunately, things have unraveled quickly, especially on the road. They have won just once away from home all season, and have suffered embarrassing defeats to lowly outfits such as bottom club Holstein Kiel, Mainz, Augsburg, and Union Berlin. At home, they have struggled to put games to bed, resulting in lost points.
They threw away a one-goal lead against a Hoffenheim side in disarray back in December, conceding a 92nd-minute Jacob Bruun Larsen equalizer. They were also soundly beaten by reigning champions Bayer Leverkusen just a few weeks ago, conceding three goals in the opening 19 minutes before ultimately losing 3-2.
These poor recent displays have cost manager Nuri Sahin his job. The former Turkey international was the club’s fourth manager in five years, but he has rightfully been sent packing. Now, former Bayern manager Niko Kovac is the favorite for the Signal Iduna Park hot seat, but it remains to be seen whether that will ultimately come to fruition.
The Positives
While it has been a disastrous campaign in Dortmund, there have certainly been some bright points. The aforementioned Guirassy seems up to the task of firing in the goals required to propel his new club to the top. But the emergence of talented young Englishman Jamie Gittens has certainly been the biggest positive so far this term.
The 20-year-old was brought to Dortmund on a free transfer from Manchester City five years ago, but injuries and loan deals have seen him have to wait for a run in the first team. That has now come, and he is arguably the first name on the teamsheet. Gittens has netted 11 goals in 27 appearances from the left wing, as well as providing five assists. If the new man at the helm wants to turn things around, building his team around the youngster is surely the way to go about it.
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