The gala against Wolfsburg was ready for the title. Now Borussia Dortmund is hoping for some help from arch-rivals Schalke 04.
Sebastian Kehl, intoxicated by the championship gala, made a small challenge to perennial champion Bayern Munich – and then practised a surprising closing of ranks with his arch-rival. “I wouldn’t be angry if we got a little help,” said the Borussia Dortmund sporting director, referring to Schalke 04’s visit to the leaders on Saturday. Because despite the furious 6:0 against VfL Wolfsburg, Kehl is also aware: “We won’t make it on our own anymore, we have to be that honest.”
Lord Mayor Thomas Westphal even went one step further for the title he has longed for since 2012. “If Schalke beats FC Bayern next weekend and BVB becomes champions as a result, then I will invite the current Schalke team to the town hall to sign the Golden Book,” said the SPD politician at the exhibition “Myth & Moderne. Football in the Ruhr Area” at the Zollverein Coal Mine Industrial Complex.
Marius Bülter and Henning Matriciani would not be the first Schalke players to immortalise themselves in ink on the handmade paper: After winning the 1934 championship against 1. FC Nürnberg in Berlin, this honour was bestowed on the Knappen team around final scorers Fritz Szepan and Ernst Kuzorra. There was no sign of today’s rivalry back then; the Ruhr region stuck together.
On 27 May, there will also be celebrations in the Ruhr. The Königsblauen want to secure their place in the league, the Schwarz-Gelben want to finally knock Bayern off their throne. Despite the fact that they are still one point behind, they have great faith in their tenth home win in a row. “That already makes an impression. I think one or two people will have been sitting in front of the television and said, this is already an exclamation mark,” said Kehl in the direction of Munich.
Indin Terzic’s side not only withstood the pressure after Bayern’s win, they played themselves into a frenzy. “We play outstanding football at home,” goalkeeper Gregor Kobel noted after goals from Karim Adeyemi (14/59), Sebastien Haller (28), Donyell Malen (37) and Jude Bellingham (54/86). “We have an incredible energy here. The people have incredible desire, they push the team. You get into the flow relatively easily and are carried along by the euphoria,” said Kehl.
BVB can still enjoy the advantage of its own fortress against Borussia Mönchengladbach and FSV Mainz 05, while away from home it still has the tricky task of FC Augsburg. Borussia has been waiting for a win away from home since February.
“We are satisfied, but not yet happy,” said Terzic. But the coach’s faith is also unbroken. The season has shown “how crazy it is”, said Terzic. Everything will be done “to keep it crazy until the end and to give us something to celebrate”.
A Schalk entry in the Golden Book of the City of Dortmund would also be crazy.
*** Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator (free version) ***