BVB loses in Bologna: Şahin’s last game? VfB gets big points

BVB gives up the lead

©IMAGO

Borussia Dortmund and Nuri Şahin have suffered the next serious sporting setback in the Champions League. BVB lost 1:2 (1:0) at FC Bologna on Tuesday evening despite being in the lead and has to fear the detour via the play-offs in the premier class. After the fourth defeat in the fourth game this year, Sahin is threatened with being replaced as head coach soon.

Dortmund, who are only tenth in the Bundesliga, also fall behind in the Champions League. The early goal from center forward Serhou Guirassy (15th minute/foul penalty) was not enough to provide the longed-for liberation in difficult weeks. Thijs Dallinga (71′) and Samuel Iling-Junior (72′) quickly turned the game in favor of the Italians with a double strike.

In the eighth and final game of the group phase, BVB will host Shakhtar Donetsk next Tuesday (9 p.m.). Before that, the Bundesliga will take place against Werder Bremen in front of their own audience on Saturday (3:30 p.m.).

VfB Stuttgart gets big points at Slovan Bratislava

Double packer Jamie Leweling put VfB Stuttgart in a good starting position before the last Champions League matchday of the league phase with his first European Cup goals. The Bundesliga team won 3-1 (2-0) against the still pointless Slovakian club Slovan Bratislava and jumped into a playoff place, at least temporarily.

Leweling (11th and 36th minutes) and Fabian Rieder (87th) scored for VfB coach Sebastian Hoeneß’s team. Idjessi Metsoko (85th) only briefly caused tremors for the Swabians, who received Paris Saint-Germain at the end of the league phase on January 29th.

Before the remaining games on Wednesday, Stuttgart are just ten points among the top 24 teams. The playoffs await – and with them further millions in income.

Bayer 04 give up the lead at Atlético – red on both sides

In the cauldron of the Estadio Metropolitano, Bayer Leverkusen failed to pass the test of nerves and, despite taking the lead and being in the lead for a long time, has to fear for direct entry into the Champions League round of 16. In a heated duel, the German champions Atlético Madrid lost 1:2 (1:0) and now urgently need a home win against Sparta Prague on Wednesday next week in order to have a chance of a place among the top eight teams. In front of 70,000 spectators, Julian Alvarez (52nd/90th) scored the goals for Madrid, Piero Hincapie (45th + 1) scored for Leverkusen.

Bayer’s head coach Nathan Tella, Florian Wirtz and Granit Xhaka failed because of goalkeeper Jan Oblak. Tella even scored to make it 1-0, but the crosser Alejandro Grimaldo was offside.

After a video check in the 25th minute, Atlético’s midfielder received a red card for a nasty foul by Pablo Barrios on Leverkusen’s Nordi Mukiele in the increasingly rough game against an unpleasant opponent. In injury time of the first half, Hincapie took advantage of a perfect cross from Mukiele to make it 1-0.

In the heated game, the hosts did not give up despite being outnumbered and, after a counterattack by Antoine Griezmann, scored an equalizer through Alvarez, who could no longer be stopped by Leverkusen’s defense chief Jonathan Tah and pushed the ball past Kovar into the goal. The Italian referee Davide Massa had his hands full in the Metropolitano cauldron and diligently handed out yellow cards. Goalscorer Hincapie also said goodbye early with a yellow-red card. In the end, Alvarez scored in the 90th minute to give the hosts the win.

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