A wall tactic designed to counterattack leads to fearsome football: Borussia Dortmund is annoyed about the defeat in the Champions League at Paris St. Germain.
Edin Terzic grimly disappeared into a mild Parisian night, three kilometers away the Eiffel Tower sparkled at the turn of the day. At Borussia Dortmund On the other hand, nothing at all shone at the start of an ultra-difficult Champions League mission on Tuesday (September 19th, 2023) – the players’ discouragement in his wall tactics almost made Terzic despair.
Terzic: “Courage was missing”
“We imagined it differently. To put it nicely, we had too much respect,” said Terzic in the press room of the concrete block Prinzenpark, which he left shortly afterwards at a run. “To put it more clearly: we simply lacked the courage.”
Paris St. Germain, the World Cup top scorer Kylian Mbappe, the 100 million man Randal Kolo Muani and all the others, they should actually feel BVB’s hot breath on their necks – “every time the ball is played into the center”, emphasized Terzic. “We wanted to put the opponent under pressure much earlier and more aggressively.”
Sometimes only 20 percent possession of the ball
Instead, BVB isolated themselves with their five-man chain in the mistaken hope that with only 20 percent possession in the first half they could somehow survive the 90 minutes against the Paris miracle storm unscathed. “It became even more difficult when you won the ball and gave it back after three seconds,” complained Terzic.
There was no connection between the solid defense and the counter-attackers Donyell Malen and Karim Adeyemi. Captain Emre Can said in frustration: “We ran after the ball a lot.”
Unfortunate trade penalty
So that’s what Borussia Dortmund has to offer in the premier class this season? Scaredy football? Much more was to come in the tricky Group F with AC Milan and Newcastle United’s nouveau riche, pumped up with Saudi oil millions – something Terzic was able to ponder on the return flight on Wednesday morning.
The legitimate anger over a controversial decision by Spanish referee Gil Manzano was a distraction, but not an excuse. Before Mbappe made it 1-0, Niklas Süle got the ball while falling from close range. “The referee had a very arrogant manner, even if you spoke to him calmly,” complained Marius Wolf: “That’s what pisses me off a bit.”
Sabitzer injured early
At least it’s to Edin Terzic’s credit that he didn’t dwell on that. “These are the controversial handball situations for which there are still no clear regulations,” he said, but: “We can’t do anything about it – what bothers me more is the way we perform.” Despondent, unfocused, ultimately without a chance.
In addition, midfielder Marcel Sabitzer was injured early on without any influence from the opposition. The Austrian “felt a stab in his adductors,” said Terzic, while sports director Kehl suspects he will be out of the league game against VfL Wolfsburg on Saturday.
From then on, BVB was missing the extremely important connection player, Felix Nmecha didn’t even begin to replace Sabitzer. He will probably still be in the starting line-up against his former club Wolfsburg, as alternatives are rare.
