With the victory in Newcastle, Borussia Dortmund has every chance in the Champions League again. The Black and Yellows’ defensive performance is particularly impressive.
The half-time break was already in sight on Wednesday evening in St. James Park in Newcastle, when Nico Schlotterbeck started the scene that ultimately decided the game: BVB’s tall central defender extended his toe in the center circle and tipped the ball off Anthony Gordon’s foot.
But that wasn’t the end of it. Schlotterbeck made an offensive run to the left flank, received the ball from Marco Reus and fed Felix Nmecha, who converted the ball unmarked in the penalty area to make it 0-1.
Everything in your own hands
This lead goal shortly before the break brought us Borussia Dortmund in the north of England. BVB won 1-0 and, after a draw and a defeat, took their first three points in the preliminary round of the Champions League. Where the people of Dortmund are suddenly no longer in such a hopeless situation. In the remaining three games against tough opponents AC Milan, Paris St. Germain and Newcastle again, the black and yellow have it in their own hands to reach the round of 16 of the competition.
“What’s hotter?”
“Now we can sort it out ourselves in our home games,” said sports director Sebastian Kehl, euphorically asking: “What could be hotter?” Kehl spoke as if liberated in the wonderfully atmospheric St. James Park. “We’re not done yet. But the win is really good in this group,” he said, “it will help us to continue to grow. I’m very hopeful.”
It is now obvious: BVB has improved enormously in terms of defense compared to last season. Coach Edin Terzic himself admits that his team may no longer celebrate such wonderfully watchable hurray football, but the coach is happy to note that the results have been good since this season.
Terzic made no secret of his pride in the evening and credited his team with a “fantastic first half”: “We deserved the win with this first half, and we defended it in the second half.”
Defensive performance – the whole team is involved
It is the entire team that takes more responsibility for the defensive performance on the pitch. Strikers like Niclas Füllkrug or Donyell Malen, for example, not only stress the opponents in their build-up play, they also consistently work all the way to the back. The Dortmund team have extremely compacted the midfield when the opponent has the ball, behind which the four-man chain with the two currently outstanding central defenders Mats Hummels and Schlotterbeck stands like a flexibly movable wall.
What is particularly noticeable is Schlotterbeck’s recent increase in performance. The 23-year-old’s talent has been known for a long time, but in the past, the ex-Freiburg player was noticed both at his club and in the national team with almost regular big personal mistakes, which often led directly to annoying goals.
Schlotterbeck – from shaky candidates to the safe bank
Schlotterbeck seemed to be on the decline and was even kicked out of the national team under Hansi Flick. Officially, to “protect” him, as the DFB put it, so that he could “focus on what’s important” again.
This is exactly what the ex-Freiburger appears to have achieved in the last few weeks and months. Schlotterbeck currently seems highly concentrated every second of the game, makes optimal use of his tackling skills and has the courage – as he did in Newcastle – to join the attack at certain points. Alongside Hummels, he is something of a “safe bank” for BVB.
Highlights in the next few weeks
The recent first grade in the game naturally makes him an important player in the BVB game and – if his development remains the same – will bring him back onto the field in the national team. But first there are work-intensive weeks on the agenda with BVB.
In the Bundesliga, the difficult game against Eintracht Frankfurt follows on Sunday, during the week there is the DFB Cup against TSG Hoffenheim, before the big game against Bayern Munich in the league on November 4th. After that it’s the Champions League again – the second leg at home against Newcastle.
So no time for breaks – and no time for Nico Schlotterbeck to take a break. Stay tuned is the motto at BVB. Kehl is extremely confident: “Our rhythm is better, we are better coordinated, we are fitter, things are taking hold.”
All clear for Emre Can
Emre Can, who was substituted injured, also quickly gave the all-clear. “It’s okay. Not that bad,” said the Borussia Dortmund captain as he limped slightly through the mixed zone to the team bus. The injury-related substitution will probably not result in a longer break.
