Is Bürki’s end in sight at Dortmund? Summer signing Gregor Kobel dismisses his rival

For many years Roman Bürki was the clear leader of German Dortmund and together with the experienced Marwin Hitz they formed a good and stable Swiss duo. However, Roman Bürki’s solid position changed last summer with the arrival of Gregor Kobel, seven years younger than him, who cost the Black-and-Yellow management €15 million after a successful season in a Stuttgart jersey.

The move sparked a wave of resentment and distrust towards the new signing and the youngest goalkeeperof the Swiss goalkeepingtrio. In the first half of the season, however, Kobel managed to prove the doubters wrong.

Kobel fit in seamlessly and was one of the best players on his team, fully conquering the number one goalkeeper position. Roman Bürki held his unshakable position for five long years, but if he exceptionally let someone else behind his back, it was because of absence.

At the end of the last Bundesliga season, his unshakeable position began to shake, and also due to injuries, the season was finished by the experienced Marwin Hitz, who until then had been given a chance between the three poles rather sporadically.

For Bürki, this also meant, among other things, only 19 games in the top competition. The last time he played such a low number of games in league competition was in the 2010/11 season.

During his time at Grasshopper Zürich in his home country, Bürki’s chances of getting back between the three sticks were further minimised by the summer arrival of the younger and promising Gregor Kobel, with Borussia Dortmund goalkeeping coach Matthias Kleinsteiber saying Kobel was his first target in the summer transfer window.

Bürki was thus given permission to look for a new employer. Traditional French club Saint-Etienne have expressed an interest in acquiring him. The promising transfer did not happen in the end, as the club, which is fighting for salvation in Ligue 1 in the current season, wanted to use Bürki’s services only in the form of a guest appearance.

He started this season with his long-time employer, but his last game was on 22 May in a 3-1 win against Bayer Leverkusen. The experienced goalkeeper has not played a competitive match for more than 7 months. In the current hierarchy of Borussia’s three goalkeeping compatriots, Bürki is only in third place.

He only watches his team’s matches from the stands and there are no signs of a change. The new acquisition Gregor Kobel has settled in his new position very well, he has coped with the mentally demanding arrival in a top team.

Kobel has played a total of 24 games for BVB this season and kept six clean sheets. Although Die Borussen have conceded 40 goals in all competitions, these goals have been caused more by defensive errors than goalkeeping.

If it weren’t for Kobel’s excellent form, Dortmund would probably not be second in the Bundesliga standings at the moment. It is therefore highly unlikely that Roman Bürki will stay for the coming season and he should leave the gates of Signal Iduna Park for good this summer at the latest.

Source: Livesport, BeSoccer