After the bloodless performance in the Europa League against Rangers, Borussia Dortmund is bewildered. Marco Rose is moving more and more into the center of criticism. Helplessness is spreading – especially with the BVB coach.
Just four days are worlds apart: In the last Bundesliga game, Borussia Dortmund showed a sovereign performance and won 3-0 against Union Berlin with a strong attacking and defensive performance.
On Thursday, BVB then went down in the Europa League against Rangers, in the end a disastrous 2:4 was on the scoreboard. And that, although Marco Rose relied on the same starting line-up as against Union.
Such fluctuations are the order of the day at BVB this season.
Dortmund showed a desolate performance against the Scots, especially on the defensive. Sport.de awarded three defenders a grade of 6.0. The black and yellow had declared winning the Europa League as their goal. The gap between claim and reality seems to be getting bigger at BVB.
Will Rose still reach the team?
The fact that after the early end of the Champions League there is also a risk of a crashing failure in the “consolation cup” means that Rose is increasingly in need of an explanation. But the coach seems almost at a loss. Can the 45-year-old still reach his team?
“I think I can still reach the boys. I see nodding heads in training and in conversations,” said a frustrated Rose after the Europa League embarrassment and blamed himself: “Our topic is always implementation. I’m responsible for that too.”
But the appearance against the Rangers makes you doubt whether that is actually still the case. After all, the problems at BVB have long been open and are also recognized by the coach week after week: lack of defensive stability, lack of consistency.
So far, the Revierklub has not been able to get the weak points under control over a longer period of time. The disgrace in the Europa League was just another low point for the black and yellow after the 5-2 defeat against Bayer Leverkusen in early February.
Defense chief Mats Hummels also emphasized on “RTL” that BVB is not able to implement the coach’s requirements. “For me it’s a more than clear topic what our problem is, the coach often talks about it, we don’t implement it in many positions.”
Rose’s self-inflicted problem at BVB
As a reaction to the embarrassing appearance on the European stage, a personnel change in the Bundesliga game against Borussia Mönchengladbach on Sunday would be expected. But here Rose’s hands are tied to a certain extent. A problem that is entirely self-inflicted.
Rose has mostly relied on the same 14, 15 players so far. If he now throws in the sorted out, such as a Felix Passlack, who could possibly solve the problem area on the right-back, that doesn’t seem very convincing.
Others, like youngster Youssoufa Moukoko, have been pawing their hooves for weeks, but are only used as jokers. Hard to imagine, therefore, that the coach throws his own principles overboard.
BVB bosses are (still) sticking to Rose
The first doubts as to whether Rose is the right man for BVB are already emerging. A playful handwriting is rarely recognizable, he could not get the mentality problems that have persisted for years – on the contrary.
In any case, the BVB bosses are (still) supporting Rose. The district club vehemently denied “Sky” reports about an immediate crisis meeting. “Total bullshit. There was no meeting,” said managing director Hans-Joachim Watzke to “SID”.
Coach discussion soon inevitable?
It is clear, however, that Rose will be under close observation in Dortmund in the coming weeks after the renewed oath of disclosure against the Scottish record champions. “Keep it up” must not and will not exist at BVB.
However, if Rose does not succeed in getting the troubled BVB permanently on course, a trainer discussion is inevitable – even if a separation would be difficult for the BVB bosses to cope with in view of the five million euros transfer fee that BVB paid to Gladbach .
Lissy Beckonert