Dreamy goals, high art of play, crazy tempo – BVB made a statement in the long-distance duel with Bayern. The 6-0 win dispelled the recent frustration about losing the league lead.
Despite all the euphoria, no one at BVB was able to make a challenge to FC Bayern. But in the initial joy over the 6-0 (3-0) spectacle against VfL Wolfsburg, Sebastian Kehl’s statement at least sounded like a Dortmund greeting to the league leaders from Munich. “That already makes an impression. Some people will have sat in front of the television today and said that this is an exclamation mark,” said the sporting director, commenting on the highest win of the season for Borussia.
Although Dortmund were denied a return to the top of the Bundesliga table and FC Bayern remain one point ahead after a 2-1 win in Bremen, coach Edin Terzic also saw his team’s tenth home win in a row as an encouragement for the showdown in the championship thriller. “The season has shown us how crazy it is and how many problems there have been at almost all clubs. We will do everything we can to keep it crazy and have something to celebrate at the end,” said the coach full of hope for a slip-up by Bayern and another change in the lead.
National player Emre Can sounded similarly confident: “It’s far from decided. Our faith is definitely still there.”
It fitted the picture of a team hungry for success that Karim Adeyemi, despite a gala performance crowned with two goals (14./59.), had to be cheered up by his congenial team-mate Jude Bellingham (54./86.). The missed penalty in the 64th minute diminished the joy of his best game in a BVB jersey: “I ruined my day a little bit. I was inconsolable at that moment. “
With the prospect of his first Bundesliga treble, the 21-year-old had struggled to take the penalty and even persuaded established marksman Marco Reus, who had been substituted shortly before, to let him have the ball. Remorseful, Adeyemi reviewed what had happened: “I’d better give the ball to Marco, that would have been better. The first thing is about the team and not about me.”
But on a day like this, all Dortmund players could easily get over Adeyemi’s miss. Nevertheless, Terzic was full of praise for the fastest Bundesliga player according to speed measurements: “Of his estimated 100 actions, 99 were really good. The way he used his almost 37 km/h today was outstanding.” The fact that Bellingham also showed great form despite recent speculation about a near move to Real Madrid and that veteran Mats Hummels earned top marks as a tireless tackler spoke for Terzic’s work in recent days.
It is hard to imagine how a team with such qualities could lose the lead in the standings against relegation aspirants Bochum (1:1) a week ago. Or how a team with such qualities had to settle for a draw against Schalke (2:2) and Stuttgart (3:3). Terzic recalled the low mood on the last matchday: “Just a week ago I had to answer stupid questions. Maybe it’s the season of setbacks. But it’s about getting up again and again and showing that you can do better.”
With three games still to play against Mönchengladbach, in Augsburg and against Mainz, the runners-up in the table must now continue to hope for a weakness from the defending champions, who had mastered their task in Bremen a day earlier with considerably less brilliance. Sporting director Kehl has rarely wished Dortmund’s arch-rivals FC Schalke a victory more than in their match in Munich on Saturday. “We wouldn’t be angry if we got a little help,” commented the former BVB professional, “we need help. We have to be that honest. “
