With Champions League elimination behind them, Borussia Dortmund were already behind in Wolfsburg after less than two minutes. Coach Marco Rose revealed his thoughts – and explained why BVB still turned the game around.
Not even two minutes had been played in Wolfsburg when Wout Weghorst completed a cross from Ridle Baku with his chest into the far corner for the VfL lead. Nico Schulz and Mahmoud Dahoud had given the crosser too much space, Manuel Akanji was too late in the middle and keeper Gregor Kobel also looked a little surprised at the attempt from close range.
It was an early deficit for Borussia Dortmund after a week that had already gone very badly with the Champions League exit. But Marco Rose reported afterwards that he had been “very composed”. Two thoughts popped into the BVB coach’s head, as he revealed: “Zorci”, meaning sporting director Michael Zorc, “had told me beforehand that Wolfsburg hadn’t scored a point against Dortmund in recent years and hadn’t even scored a goal. And he said that Weghorst hasn’t scored a goal against Dortmund at all.” Rose was left with only a dry conclusion: “Then I thought: all right, can we put a tick in it. “
“That’s when it got a bit tingly “
Fortunately, from Dortmund’s point of view, the remaining 88 minutes plus injury time were much more enjoyable, with fight and enthusiasm combining to produce one of the best performances of the season, perhaps even the best so far. “The fact that we fell behind with the first attack was of course conceivably unfavourable after Wednesday,” found Rose: “But the reaction was top.”
Because the goal conceded “did little to our self-image, we controlled the game after that, had good forward actions and allowed little overall.” Wolfsburg did have a few chances, especially between the 2:1 by Donyell Malen (55.) and the decision by Erling Haaland (81.): “That’s when it got a bit edgy, that’s when we lost a bit of control of the game. “
Rose makes clear demand for the top match
But, more compelling over 90 minutes was BVB. “We got the penalty out when we finally worked more consistently and concretely towards the opponent’s goal,” said Rose, praising: “We really played a very good game for a long time.” Above all, the Westphalians showed better play in the areas where Lisbon were lacking: consistency and unwillingness to compromise. “We talked about a few things after Wednesday’s game,” Rose revealed and was pleased with the improvement: “How we force the penalty with consistent running behind and how Reus pulls into the box, those are the things we still miss here and there. “
And because the success in Wolfsburg is also the overture for the top match against FC Bayern Munich next Saturday, the coach linked his praising conclusion directly with an order to his team: “That was a nice and important victory in the Bundesliga. Now there is a clear demand that we keep at it and get sustainability in results and performance. “
