Borussia Dortmund has to win at the OSC Lille to reach the quarter -finals of the Champions League. Sports director Sebastian Kehl will also look at the recently disappointing team on his own behalf.
For the fourth time, the OSC Lille and Borussia Dortmund will meet on Wednesday (12.03.2025, from 6.45 p.m. in full length in the audio report at Sportschau) in a European Cup game.
So far there have been three draws. In February 2002, BVB was enough in the round of 16 of the UEFA Cup (today: Europa League) an away goal in the first leg, because after the 0-0 in the second leg was the decisive factor. Sebastian Kehl was new to the Dortmunders at the time, but was not allowed to play because he was already in the same competition for SC Freiburg before the winter break.
Now there was a 1-1 in the first leg in Dortmund, and since the away goal rule was abolished, another tie would lead to extension and maybe even a penalty shootout.
This time Sebastian Kehl will watch the Borussia sports director, whose squad he is responsible for. A failure would therefore also fall back on him.
“Missing Constance is a lack of quality”
Failure would be another disappointment in a season that is so rich in disappointments. BVB only takes tenth place in the Bundesliga after 25 match days. He lost Kiel at Holstein, he lost to VfL Bochum, and last Saturday he lost 0-1 against FC Augsburg without a sound and mutual and juice and juice without a juice and juice in his own stadium.
Previously, BVB had succeeded in two victories, for the first time this season, and that aroused hope to get one of the first four places and thus back into the Champions League.
“A lack of constancy is a lack of quality,” said Nico Schlotterbeck after the defeat against FC Augsburg. Coach Niko Kovac also went hard with the team. Sebastian Kehl reimbursed something like a volunteer because he indicated that the squad once again needed a lot of change after this season.
Judgment of a good one Transfer summer now outdated
Last summer, Maximilian Beier, Waldemar Anton and Pascal came up, three German internationals. To this end, Serhou Guirassy was taken, a goal scorer. Yan Couto, loaned by Manchester City to FC Girona, came too.
A good transfer summer has been certified by BVB and thus also throat, but this judgment has now been outdated. The balance sheet is modest of the price-performance ratio, and this falls back on throat, although the coach is more responsible for the performance.
But Nuri Sahin did not manage to bring the new additions to a level that was to be expected during the obligations. Since Kehl was considered a supporter of Sahins, but who had to go to the calendar year 2025 after a miserable start, something fell back to the sports director, who was and is also accused of not making a few necessary transfers (inner and full-back).
Desired transfer failed
In winter, Salih Özcan was brought back prematurely by a loan because Felix Nmecha was injured. In addition, Daniel Svensson came with a full -back with Daniel Svensson who doesn’t seem to be better than Ramy Bensebaini. Carney Chukwuemeka was loaned by Chelsea FC. He came together in three missions to less than 45 minutes. The 21-year-old Englishman’s health and injury acts is worrying. However, BVB still needed a strong midfielder after the desired transfer from Rayan Cherki (Olympique Lyon) burst.
This also falls back to a sports director, so not only Sebastian Kehl in Lille will take a close look at whether BVB can disconnect from the disappointments in the Bundesliga again and move into the quarter -finals.
Under observation
The work of the sports director is also under observation. His rival Sven Mislintat has now been on leave after constant struggles and the contract has been extended with Kehl, but there have been critical voices towards the sports director among influential men in the Dortmund leadership for years.
Another renovation at the ball game club could also affect people outside the team, especially if there is no more international football in Dortmund in the coming season. As can be heard from the association, contracts were designed in such a way that separations would be comparatively cheap.