Marco Rose smiled a little tormented. According to statements by Borussia Dortmund’s licensed player boss Sebastian Kehl on the fringes of the game against SpVgg Greuther Fürth, the coach was suddenly confronted with speculation about his future. “I’ll be coach of Borussia Dortmund next year,” Rose emphasized after the final whistle on TV channel Sky: “I’m looking forward to it.”
When asked twice before whether Rose would still be coach of Dortmund next season, Kehl replied that he assumed so. That alone was enough to spark a lightning debate about Rose, who still has a contract in Dortmund until the summer of 2024. “What should I tell you about that? You’re trying to conjure something out of something,” Rose answered after the 3-1 (1-0) win against Fürth on Sky.
With a view to the club management around Hans-Joachim Watzke, the Dortmund coach assured: “We work together very trustingly.” Rose had at least a little reason to be happy on Saturday. Julian Brandt shot the club, which had been very disappointing in the cup competitions this season, to secure second place in the final. With a brace against Fürth, the international eliminated the last theoretical doubts about the place behind permanent champion FC Bayern Munich.
BVB coach Marco Rose (right) with goal scorer Felix Passlack
(Photo: Daniel Karmann/dpa)
For Dortmund, the home farewell to Fürth coach Stefan Leitl was like a summer kick without the necessary sharpness and pace, but they turned it up in the final phase on Saturday. Brandt converted BVB’s first chance in the 26th minute and restored the lead after the break (72′). With his first Bundesliga goal, Jessic Ngankam (70th) made the Fürth supporters cheer in the meantime. However, Felix Passlack (77th) increased with a deflected shot in the stadium, which was sold out with 16,626 fans.
Leitl says goodbye with a clever change
Borussia around the goalless Erling Haaland showed only a tiny reaction after the indisputable 3: 4 against VfL Bochum and won through their higher individual class. In their last home game, Fürth were equal opponents for a long time, they only gave BVB little space.
Leitl also made sure of that with a clever change: Striker Jamie Leweling sometimes even gave a left full-back and thus slowed down the offensive efforts of Dortmund on the right side. The video referee spoiled Fürther’s jubilation about the supposed lead in the 23rd minute by captain Branimir Hrgota because of offside. The technically clearly superior Dortmund countered with a dust collector: keeper Andreas Linde only let a shot from Raphaël Guerreiro parry, Brandt followed up successfully.
Fürth’s managing director Rachid Azzouzi spoke of a “sad day” because he had to say goodbye to promotion coach Leitl before the game. The 44-year-old, who is likely to move to Hannover 96, received a lot of encouragement from the stands, and his players applauded him. In the second half, Dortmund had more space against more courageous hosts.
Haaland kept getting stuck on a Fürth opponent and was later replaced without the big accents. With a remarkable lob, Ngankam gave the Franconian fans a well-deserved goal celebration. “I tried that many times in training but it didn’t work,” admitted the young striker. In return, Brandt again completed a Dortmund counterattack. Passlack also tunneled Fürth’s goalkeeper Linde. A goal by Jude Bellingham (85th) did not count for offside.