That was a press release in its personal proper. 4 days after an especially disappointing first half within the Champions League match at Tottenham Hotspur, the crew bought again to fundamentals and, not like Bayern, Leipzig and Stuttgart, didn’t stumble in what Nico Schlotterbeck described as “the hardest away recreation within the league”. “We took up the struggle, we upped the depth, we fought passionately, and at occasions we additionally performed actually first rate soccer,” stated Niko Kovac, summing up the thrilling 90 minutes on the Alte Försterei, including: “General, I used to be very happy with the efficiency. We confirmed what we needed to present. In any other case, the sport wouldn’t have ended that means.”
because of targets from Emre Can (penalty), Nico Schlotterbeck and Maximilian Beier. The order of the goalscorers additionally not directly underlines the virtues that had been required. The defenders had been within the foreground, nicely forward of the inventive attacking forces. First the struggle, then a bit little bit of glamour. “We needed to current them with the identical difficulties they needed to current us with: lengthy balls, physicality, tackles. We embraced that and needed to do it even higher,” stated Gregor Kobel, revealing the crew’s method.
led the best way. Not solely as a result of he confidently transformed his twelfth penalty in his Bundesliga profession, “regardless that I made a mistake. I truly needed to shoot to the best nook, however modified course on the final second, which isn’t actually a great factor. It is best to keep on with your first thought.” The 32-year-old threw himself into each sort out and gained each race for the ball, together with the 34.5 km/h dash with Stanley Nsoki. “Emre does the whole lot for the success of the membership, for the success of the crew,” emphasised managing director Lars Ricken: “That’s why he’s now our captain underneath our fourth coach. He takes duty, he throws himself into tackles, he carries his teammates with him.”
Commercial
3-3 in Frankfurt, 3-0 towards Bremen, 3-2 towards St. Pauli and now 3-0 at Union Berlin: The outcomes are good for Borussia Dortmund. The dialogue in regards to the “B grade” continues. “If we play good soccer, then they are saying we’re not getting sufficient factors,” stated Can, referring to earlier seasons with plenty of spectacle however poor outcomes: “If we don’t play such engaging soccer however get factors, then they are saying: Why aren’t you enjoying good soccer? It’s laborious to please everybody. The factors haul within the Bundesliga is okay.”
16 greater than a yr in the past, is superb. However the race for the highest spots stays shut. That’s why Lars Ricken just isn’t wanting on the hole to Bayern Munich (eight factors!), however on the misleading nine-point lead over fifth place (as of Sunday afternoon). “In the long run, we’ve to take a look at ourselves, as a result of all of the groups behind us have additionally gained,” stated the sporting director on Saturday night in freezing chilly Berlin. And all of the groups in third to sixth place nonetheless have a recreation in hand.
Boris Rupert
