34th matchday
BVB draws courage for Wembley: farewell show for Reus
The Dortmund players celebrate with Marco Reus his goal to make it 2-0. photo
© Bernd Thissen/dpa
At the end of the Bundesliga season, BVB managed a befitting 4-0 win over relegated Darmstadt. That gives us encouragement for the Champions League final against Real Madrid in two weeks.
Loud ovations for the outgoing club legend Marco Reus, easy game for the team: Borussia Dortmund prepared for the Champions League final at Wembley with great emotions and a sense of achievement.
Two weeks before the premier class showdown against Real Madrid, coach Edin Terzic’s team achieved a 4-0 (2-0) win over relegated SV Darmstadt 98 at the end of the Bundesliga season.
The fact that Reus also made a name for himself as a goalscorer rounded off the big farewell show for the 34-year-old veteran with a big choreography before kick-off in the south stand. His artificial shot into the corner of the goal to make it 2-0 (38th minute) was celebrated particularly loudly. Ian Maatsen (30th), Julian Brandt (72nd) and Donyell Malen (88th) scored the other BVB goals in front of 81,365 spectators in the sold-out Signal Iduna Park.
Reus provides the climax
Unlike in the last two Bundesliga games against Augsburg (5:1) and Mainz (0:3), BVB coach Edin Terzic decided not to rotate extensively so that his regulars would not lose their rhythm before the final act in London. Apart from Julian Brandt, who had to make way for Reus, the team that was also expected to play at Wembley was on the pitch.
Main actor Reus (11th) provided the first highlight of the game when he shot the ball onto the crossbar from ten meters after a pass from Jadon Sancho. Nevertheless, Borussia initially did not appear with the confidence of a premier class finalist. The slow build-up played into the guests’ hands, who sold themselves dearly in their last Bundesliga game, at least in the first half hour.
However, the Darmstadt defense was unable to cope with the constant pressure in the long run. After Borussia’s second shot against the crossbar by Marcel Sabitzer, Maatsen pushed the ball into the goal with a well-placed low shot from the edge of the penalty area. When Reus curled the ball into the corner of the goal from a free kick from 17 meters just eight minutes later, the decision seemed to have been made before half-time.
Brandt and Malen score at the end
Even after the restart, BVB laid siege to the visitors’ goal. However, opportunities from Karim Adeyemi (50th/60th) and Reus (56th) remained unused. Darmstadt retreated more and more, but had the chance to score when Emir Karic (63′) shot a shot that was parried by BVB goalkeeper Gregor Kobel.
But the 3-0 victory thanks to Brandt, who had just been substituted after a nice pass from Sancho, provided final clarity. When Reus was substituted in the 82nd minute to lively applause from the stands, all BVB professionals lined up.
Despite Malen’s final goal from close range to make it 4-0, BVB finished a season outside the top four for the first time in nine years. The guests are relegated from the upper house of football for the fourth time.