Dortmund is experiencing a catastrophic season and should not stop at big names when it comes to restructuring the squad and replace top striker Haaland. Its failures make you think.
- Captain Marco Reus in July: “We have the squad to become German champions, win the cup and progress in the Champions League.”
- Managing Director Hans-Joachim Watzke in December: “The Europa League is the only title that Borussia Dortmund is still missing. We have to accept that now and work on it, 13 million euros [Verlust durch Aus in der Champions League, Anm.d.Red.] come back by winning the Europa League.”
- Defense chief Mats Hummels in January: “I’m finally fit again. There’s no longer any reason for me not to deliver. Physically there are no more excuses, now it’s up to me.”
- Marco Reus two days ago: “We have big plans.”
Four statements from players and officials at Borussia Dortmund. They all raised high hopes among fans at different times. And they were all brutally disappointed.
Hummels of all things
First, BVB lost touch with Bundesliga leaders Bayern Munich. Then he flew against a second division team from the DFB Cup. He failed in the preliminary round of a feasible Champions League group – and now yesterday in the Europa League.
Not in the semi-finals or finals. Not even in the quarterfinals or round of 16. But in the playoff round for the knockout phase. And that against the second-class Glasgow Rangers (2: 4, 2: 2).
Ironically, a nasty mistake by Mats Hummels buried the hope of progressing. The Hummels, who actually wanted to deliver.
And who also said afterwards: “We had them in the sack in the first half.”
You can’t talk nice about that anymore
Nobody at FC Bayern would make such a statement. One half was good, the other three were disastrous if you want to sum up the two legs. You can’t talk nice about that anymore.
Dortmund has arrived in reality. And that says: It is an absolutely disappointing season in which the team has not delivered in any way. The squad is obviously not set up in such a way that it meets the requirements. And that must have consequences.
Haaland has missed 15 games
The first consequence: It is of course unthinkable that top striker Erling Haaland stays in Dortmund. Not even his injury susceptibility this season will prevent one of Europe’s top clubs from striking – although I do find the muscle injuries worrying.
Haaland has played 20 games this season and scored 23 goals – but he has also missed 15 games due to injury.
I don’t know how strong his muscles are, but at the age of 21, the frequency of these complaints is unusual. Neither Kylian Mbappé is injured that often – nor was Robert Lewandowski or Cristiano Ronaldo at that age. And that has to be the player category with which you compare Haaland.
What else will happen?
Dortmund needs Leverkusen striker Schick
Haaland is leaving, with defender Niklas Süle and probably also striker Karim Adeyemi, two additions can be expected. I’m sure they’re both good players, but that’s not enough.
Dortmund needs an adequate Haaland successor in the storm center. Patrik Schick from Leverkusen would be the best solution. He has made another big leap this season, scoring 20 goals in 20 Bundesliga games so far and is one of the best strikers in Europe.
I would also consider Freiburg defender Nico Schlotterbeck a good signing to finally ensure real competition and of course stability in defence.
It is not a matter of course that Reus and Hummels will stay
Of course, the decisive question is which player meets the requirements and which does not – especially since various contracts will expire in the next year or two, including those from Reus and Hummels in 2023. Of course, Dortmund must not stop at big names.
Marco Reus (left) and Mats Hummels are experiencing an extremely disappointing season with BVB. Stefan Effenberg would not extend their contracts beyond 2023. (Source: aik Hölter/TEAM2sportphoto/imago images)
Reus has announced: “I have already extended my contract twice, especially at times when things were not going particularly well in terms of sport. So why shouldn’t I do it now?” And further: “BVB is my club, Dortmund is my hometown and I would like to end my career here.”
Fortunately, the club also has a say, especially since Reus is said to get around twelve million euros a year. Both Reus and Hummels disappointed against Glasgow. It is not a matter of course that they will stay two more years.
BVB should set an example
And it would be wrong to hastily extend their contracts. The performance must match the salary.
Both have to prove that this is the case. Dortmund should wait until autumn and thus the start of the coming season. Reus is 32 years old, Hummels 33 – it’s not like they have five top clubs in line like Haaland.
BVB can and should link this to a sign: First comes the performance, then the contract. Because after this season there is something to make up for.
And mostly by the players.
Kehl has only one advantage
I’m 100 percent convinced that there has to be a new start with Marco Rose as coach. Likewise, Sebastian Kehl is the right man to succeed Michael Zorc as sporting director. He knows that he can fall back on Zorc’s expertise in an emergency – just like Oliver Kahn or Hasan Salihamidzic at Bayern, who can ask Uli Hoeneß and Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, the two long-standing club bosses, for advice at any time.
Kehl’s only advantage after leaving Europe: he has planning security and can push ahead with the conversion – at least they won’t lose the qualification for the Champions League anymore.
This planning security will be envied by BVB’s next opponent Augsburg (Sunday, from 5.30 p.m.) and the other relegation candidates: Fürth, Stuttgart, Bielefeld, Gladbach and above all Hertha BSC.
Hertha players are happy when they’re gone
Hertha is the club that sent BVB into one of the many crises with the 3-2 win in mid-December. The problem is that the club in the capital has only scored two points since then, gone five league games without a win and, on top of that, was knocked out of the DFB Cup against city rivals Union Berlin in their own stadium.
What is happening in Berlin is tragic. Investor Lars Windhorst has found that his investment of 374 million euros has not paid off at all so far.
Some of the players who came for many millions are already gone. I also think they are very happy to be gone. After all, their hopes have not been fulfilled here.
Hertha hasn’t learned anything
Things have gotten even worse under current coach Tayfun Korkut. The team does not do justice to this description. And Hertha has learned nothing from the past few years and especially the past season.
Pál Dárdai took over as coach on matchday 19, focused on the defensive and saved the club from relegation. This season, manager Fredi Bobic has sacked Dárdai in 14th place after 13 matchdays. Under Korkut, Hertha is now in 15th place.
Started an extremely difficult job at Hertha BSC before the season: Fredi Bobic. (Source: Matthias Koch/imago images)
Over the past few years, those responsible have always thought: There must be more and more attractive football possible. However, the squad never gave that up – and the team kept slipping to the bottom of the table.
What now?
Descent would be logical, but super meltdown
Hertha is currently suffering from a massive corona outbreak, which is also preventing goalkeeper Alexander Schwolow from playing for his former club SC Freiburg on Saturday. In addition, there is perhaps the most difficult remaining program. Hertha still plays against Hoffenheim, Union as well as in Leverkusen and Dortmund. Actually a case for Dárdai. However, having been stripped of his confidence this season, I can’t see him being ready for a third term. He certainly has his pride too.
The fact is that relegation might be the logical consequence of the developments of the past few years. Above all, it would be the absolute worst case scenario. In contrast, even the season of Borussia Dortmund would have gone lightly.