Desperate faces in Dortmund. © APA/afp / THOMAS KIENZLE

Constantly inconsistent: BVB remains a big mystery

The Dortmund team is experiencing another relapse in Stuttgart. Coach Terzic and sports director Kehl seem perplexed by the many fluctuations in performance. One thing is certain: BVB will no longer be a candidate for the title.

12 November 2023

From: dpa/tu

Edin Terzic seemed equally frustrated and perplexed. He was “brutally disappointed,” said the Borussia Dortmund coach. “We have once again shown a familiar face with whom we are very dissatisfied.” If the runner-up presents themselves more often like they did in the 1:2 (1:1) defeat at VfB Stuttgart, “we no longer need to talk about goals “talk about it,” said sports director Sebastian Kehl. BVB remains a big mystery. First the humiliation against FC Bayern Munich (0:4), then the supposed rehabilitation against Newcastle United (2:0), now the next low blow. Borussia can't get rid of its fluctuations in performance - and so it's no longer a candidate for the title.

The Dortmund team “know exactly what we are capable of and what we are capable of,” said Terzic after the desolate performance at VfB on Saturday. In order to be at the forefront and finally win a trophy again, it's not enough to just "show it every now and then." The coach explained that his team had to learn that. But she hasn't been able to do it for years now. For the umpteenth time she made a statement with the win against Newcastle in the Champions League during the week. A huge relapse followed shortly afterwards for the umpteenth time. Sports director Kehl said after the well-deserved defeat in Stuttgart that you couldn't perform like that as Borussia Dortmund.

Edin Terzic is puzzling. © ANSA / RONALD WITTEK

As in the previous season, BVB is in danger of losing sight of the top of the Bundesliga table early on. The gap to defending champions Bayern is already eight points. “It’s a board,” said goalkeeper Gregor Kobel. Not to mention Bayer Leverkusen, which has developed remarkably under coach Xabi Alonso. Currently, Dortmund have to make sure that they can secure their participation in the Champions League again. Nobody is talking about the championship anymore.

Tough program after the international break

Last season, Borussia also fell behind early on, but then almost crowned a brilliant comeback after the turn of the year by winning the cup. “We wanted to do better this year,” explained Terzic looking back. Instead, his team runs after him again. He had no explanation for the drop in performance after the Newcastle game. Sports director Kehl also had a hard time researching the cause. What both found: Apart from goalkeeper Kobel, who caused two penalty kicks, almost not a single player reached their performance limit against VfB.

Dortmund have often proven “that we are capable of fighting back,” said coach Terzic, whose team expects some high hurdles after the international break. In the premier class against AC Milan and Paris Saint-Germain, just like in the DFB Cup against Stuttgart, it's about progressing, in the league against Borussia Mönchengladbach, Leverkusen and RB Leipzig it's about staying in the top group.

Serhou Guirassy scored the 2-1 for Stuttgart. © APA/afp / THOMAS KIENZLE

BVB owed almost everything against VfB on Saturday. At the front he was largely harmless, but at the back he was overwhelmed by the Swabians' quick attacks. He didn't lack passion or commitment, said goal scorer Niclas Füllkrug. Perhaps “the perfect approach” wasn’t chosen, the national striker speculated on the Sky microphone. In any case, we were once again “shown the limits” by a good opponent. The discussions about how good the Dortmund squad really is are likely to pick up steam again in the coming days. BVB is and remains a big mystery.