In contrast to the start of the season, Borussia Dortmund did not exude much brilliance in the past English week, but even without Erling Haaland they left the three games with six points. Marco Rose praised the bench, Sebastian Kehl the effort.
There have been more spectacular games from Borussia Dortmund in the still young season. Unlike the highlight matches against Frankfurt (5:2), Hoffenheim (3:2), Leverkusen (4:3) or Union Berlin (4:2), BVB achieved far fewer highlights and fewer offensive fireworks in the past week. Instead, other qualities came to the fore.
After the unfortunate 0:1 defeat at Borussia Mönchengladbach last Saturday, which was marked by extraordinary circumstances due to the absence of Erling Haaland and Marco Reus at short notice as well as the early and controversial yellow card against Mahmoud Dahoud, the defensive performances in the Champions League against Sporting and in the league against FC Augsburg were clearly more in focus than recently.
Fewer opponent chances
The BVB defence did not allow a single opponent chance against Lisbon, only three against FCA, a clear progress compared to the first games of the season. The strong counter-pressing, the improved rest of the defence, the well-rehearsed regular back four – all of this led to more stability, even if the last two opponents were not necessarily the yardstick. “We completely controlled the game in many phases and could have decided it earlier and more clearly,” was how Licensed Player Manager Sebastian Kehl analysed the game against Augsburg and emphasised another point: “We fought our way well through a phase in which we were missing many players. “
The fact that despite several injuries in the squad, and despite the injuries and physical lapses of some of the professionals deployed, three games were completed over 90 minutes without a major drop in performance, is attributed by coach Marco Rose to the breadth in the squad. “We were really good from the bench again in the last three games, with everyone we brought in,” the coach emphasised after the Augsburg game: “It was also good for us today to bring freshness at the back. I think that’s great from the boys. You can expect it, but it also gives a lot that we have such a good bench.”
And so Kehl was able to draw a positive interim balance in an interview with kicker: “We can be satisfied with the conclusion of this week and the overall picture in the league, also with the six points in the Champions League. “
Von Ballmoos replaces Kobel
The two weeks until the next match against Mainz 05 can now be used to heal the numerous injuries. A new one was added at the weekend: As the Swiss Football Association announced, keeper Gregor Kobel will not travel to the games of the “Nati”, according to the news agency sda he suffers from a tendon insertion irritation in the knee. He had already been struggling with the injury in the match against Augsburg, but gritted his teeth. David von Ballmoos from Young Boys Bern was nominated to replace him.
In Dortmund, however, they are not worried that Kobel will not be able to play after the international break against Mainz.
