Bundesliga

Bundesliga team performance: Dortmund want to compete with Bayern. It has a new defence, but no Haaland

Borussia Dortmund have had their worst season in 5 years. A failed Champions League group stage exit and a subsequent first round Europa League playoff crash. An early exit in the German Cup and only second in the league again. Westphalia lost key player Haaland, but with the money from his transfer the club acquired nine new signings. Can they finally compete with Bayern?

Published

2 years ago

1. 8. 2022

Petr Křenek

Things look the same in Dortmund as they do in 2019. Three years ago, after the seemingly impressive summer transfers, we were all wondering if the Schwarzgelben were ready to put pressure on Bayern. They actually did well in the beginning before they fell away.

The management team

After two years at Mönchengladbach, many thought Marco Rose could be the man for Dortmund to end Bayern’s dominance. However, his tenure at the Westfalenstadion ended after his first season. The management had been behind Rose all along, which is why his sacking came as more of a shock.

Edin Terzic will lead the team in the new season. He will be assisted by Peter Hermann and Sebastian Geppert.

The 2022/23 season will not be Terzić’s first, as he was put in charge of Dortmund on an interim basis after Lucien Favre was sacked. Despite failing to dethrone Bayern, the thirty-nine-year-old coach led his team to the German Cup title.

We can expect fast attacking football from Dortmund again, as they scored an average of 2.2 goals per game during Terzic’s first spell at the helm. Terzić most often used a 4-2-3-1 or 4-3-3 formation.

Goalkeeper

Dortmund bought two new goalkeepers during the summer break, as Roman Burki and Marwin Hitz left the club. Marcel Lotka, a Pole who used to play for Dortmund’s youth team, came from Hertha, but we will see him more in the reserves. The other goalkeeper is Alexander Meyer from Regensburg, who will be the number two.

Gregor Kobel, who saved Dortmund several times last season, remains the number one in goal. The high number of goals conceded was rather due to defensive errors.

Defence

Edin Terzic’s main task is definitely to solidify a leaky defence that conceded more goals than any other Bundesliga team that secured European Cups last season.

Marcel Schmelzer has retired and the club has released young central defender Zagadou. There is also speculation about the departure of Akanji, whose contract expires next year.

Freiburg’s Nico Schlotterbeck and Bayern’s Niklas Süle have come in to fill the gaps, and Mats Hummels will also get in if there are any injuries. On the right, Thomas Meunier and Mateu Morey, who has resumed training after more than a year, will fight for the position. On the left, Guerreiro and Nico Schulz remain, whom the club is trying to get rid of.

Backup

Jude Bellingham, who can play both offensively and defensively, has a secure place in the midfield. Alongside him last year were Axel Witsel, Emre Can and Mahmoud Dahoud. The former headed to Atletico Madrid when his contract at BVB expired. In his place, Salih Özcan, who is a pure defensive midfielder, joined the club.

The third member of the midfield will undoubtedly be captain Marco Reus, who can be replaced by Julian Brandt. American Reyna, who has been hit by several injuries in the past season, will also try to break into the line-up.

Attack

The German side sold Erling Haaland to Manchester City, leaving a significant hole to fill up front. In his place, Dortmund bought Sebastien Haller from Ajax, but he cannot be counted on for a few months as fate had other plans. Less than a month after signing his contract, Haller was diagnosed with a testicular tumour.

Instead, Dortmund will have to rely on promising striker Karim Adeyemi, who started on the wing alongside Donyell Malen in the first cup game. Youngster Moukoko came on at the back.

Jamie Bynoe Gittens has already come off the bench last season and is sure to get a lot more minutes this season.

Head of transfers Sebastian Kehl recently revealed that Dortmund will buy a new striker instead of Haller. It should be an older player who would sign a one-year contract.