15th matchday
“Definitely not enough”: BVB back in Bundesliga dreariness
Dortmund’s Donyell Malen (l) tries to claim the ball in front of Augsburg’s Mads Pedersen (r). photo
© Tom Weller/dpa
Everyday life in the Bundesliga at Borussia Dortmund is gray. The liberation blow at FC Augsburg does not materialize. Dortmund coach Edin Terzic is fighting speculation.
After the powerful performance in the Champions League against Kylian Mbappé & Co Borussia Dortmund showed its sad Bundesliga face again.
Coach Edin Terzic’s team couldn’t get past a sobering 1-1 draw at FC Augsburg and, despite great chances in the thrilling final minutes, missed an escape from their crisis mode.
“The result is definitely not enough,” admitted the Dortmund coach after just one win from seven games in the German elite class. “Once again, it’s not easy to explain.” But he doesn’t want to continue to look for excuses. “It’s no use complaining.” That would be exactly the right mood given that they are currently ten points behind league leaders Bayer Leverkusen, which means that the championship goal can basically be ticked off.
Brandt: “It all seems very difficult, very forced”
The Augsburg team, who had been more determined for a long time, at least fought for a courage point a week after their first defeat under coach Jess Thorup at Werder. At the end of the year they have to play against the strong VfB Stuttgart on Wednesday. “It was important for me that we showed a reaction to the game in Bremen,” the Dane praised his team.
Dortmund will be confronted with the championship they lost on the last matchday of last season against FSV Mainz 05 on Tuesday. “It all seems very difficult, very forced,” said midfielder Julian Brandt. “It’s hard granite that we’re biting on at the moment.”
After a rustic running duel with Nico Schlotterbeck, captain Ermedin Demirovic gave Augsburg the lead in the 23rd minute. His eighth goal of the season in front of 30,660 spectators in the sold-out WWK Arena also withstood the scrutiny of the video referee.
Long-time runner Donyell Malen (35th) equalized after a one-two with Niclas Füllkrug, but missed the tangible decision several times (64th, 86th, 88th). Shortly before the end, Augsburg goalkeeper Finn Dahmen (88th) quickly directed a side-footed kick from Füllkrug onto the post.
Terzic is confronted with speculation
The frosty atmosphere at BVB is also fueling rumors about Terzic’s future. TV expert Jan Aage Fjörtoft, for example, circulated speculation on the X platform about Dortmund’s passionate Champions League game against Paris Saint-Germain (1-1), while Erik ten Hag, who in turn was heavily criticized at Manchester United, did so could become the new coach in Dortmund.
Before kick-off, Terzic wanted to know how he was supposed to hide that when he was asked about it on the TV channel Sky. “This is something I can’t stop. I can’t control what questions you ask, but I can control how I deal with it. I’m someone who likes to lead the way. I like to take responsibility and I also like to fight,” explained Terzic. What is important to him is what the team and his colleagues around him think about him. “And they make me feel good,” assured Terzic.
After the start of the game was marked by fan protests against the German Football League’s investor deal, the Dortmund coach’s mood in Augsburg initially clouded over. Demirovic asserted himself robustly against Schlotterbeck and coolly sank the ball to give the home side the lead. An opening pass from Marco Reus to Malen, who let the ball bounce off striker Füllkrug, brought the Dutchman equalizer shortly afterwards.
Augsburg striker Phillip Tietz rang in the start of the second half with three dangerous actions. Although the Dortmund team had chosen their guest game in Swabia as a trend-setting point for the Bundesliga, there wasn’t much to be seen of unconditional enthusiasm. In the final phase, chances on both sides once again caused a stir in the stands.