DFB Cup
Research BVB’s tones before the league summit: “It’s about time again”
Dortmund’s sports director Sebastian Kehl is hoping for the first Bundesliga home win over Bayern since November 2018. Photo
© Tom Weller/dpa
Embarrassment for Bayern, encouragement for BVB. After the 1-0 win over Hoffenheim, Dortmund seems prepared for the Bundesliga classic on Saturday. Munich’s early exit from the cup increases the explosiveness.
Encouraged by the ongoing upward trend, sports director Sebastian Kehl struck an unusually bold tone, with all due respect for the German record champions: “We obviously want to use every opportunity to beat Bayern Munich in a direct duel – it’s been a little longer at home now. It’s time again.”
Five years after the last Bundesliga home win over their eternal title rivals, Dortmund is longing for a sense of success. The trauma suffered in the final of last season, when the then league leaders BVB lost the championship that was within reach to Munich with a 2-2 draw against Mainz, seems to have passed. “We have a squad that has gained enormously in resilience and stability. This team has achieved a lot in the last few weeks. That will benefit us at the weekend,” said Kehl. Midfielder Salih Özcan saw it similarly: “We play much more maturely, much more clearly. That’s good for the whole team.”
Less sexy, but more successful
The coach’s new requirement for his team to play less sexy but more successfully also came into play against Hoffenheim. For the fifth time in the 14th competitive game, a BVB appearance ended with a 1-0 win. Marco Reus (43rd minute) was the goalscorer – as in the Bundesliga home game against Wolfsburg (1-0). The fact that the team harmonized well despite the ongoing rush for deadlines and a starting eleven that had changed to at least five positions also made veteran Reus confident for the Bayern duel: “We had a few changes and still got into the game really well. Compliments.” There was extra praise from the match winner for winger Jamie Bynoe-Gittens, who had been rotated into the team: “Jamie played outstandingly.”
Not least because of the improved defense, Kehl believes BVB is currently on a par with Bayern. “It will be very tight,” predicted the sports director. A lot will depend on how FC Bayern reacts to the embarrassing cup knockout at third division club Saarbrücken. The mishap increases the already explosive nature of the game.
In contrast to Munich, Borussia gained new courage in the cup and can continue to hope for a triumph in this competition. Edin Terzic was asked in an ARD interview whether it was a good omen that BVB, after two previous cup victories over Hoffenheim, were always in the final in Berlin. The football teacher’s answer matched the bold statements of the sports director and the professionals. “Yes, good omen. But it’s not enough for us to come to Berlin. We want to go to Borsigplatz,” said the Dortmund coach, full of hope for a title celebration around the club’s iconic birthplace.