BVB Facing Pressure Amid Champions League Hopes

Despite a strong position in the Champions League, Borussia Dortmund is experiencing low morale as they approach a critical matchup against Sporting Lisbon on Wednesday at 18:45 (DAZN). The team, currently sitting eleventh in the Bundesliga, is grappling with the repercussions of a disappointing start to the season under new head coach Niko Kovac.

Bundesliga Struggles

Kovac emphasized the need to focus on winning Bundesliga games, stating, „We need to ensure we start winning matches in the Bundesliga. That’s the priority. The Champions League is just the icing on the cake.“ The coach’s tenure has begun poorly, with two defeats in two league matches, reminiscent of past struggles when BVB’s coach Timo Konietzka was dismissed after seven losses in nine games in 1984.

Champions League Outlook

Fortunately for BVB, the Champions League remains a silver lining. After a decisive 3-0 victory in the first leg against Sporting, advancing to the next round seems likely, with potential matchups against teams like OSC Lille or Aston Villa in the quarterfinals.

Concerns for the Future

However, a sense of fatalism has settled over the club. Last year’s Champions League finalists are already preparing for a future without the financial benefits associated with the competition. Current performance suggests that winning the tournament is beyond reach given the team’s overall condition.

In the Bundesliga, Dortmund has fallen six points behind the Conference League spot following a disappointing 0-2 loss to VfL Bochum. Kovac remarked, „We can assess the situation. We are eleventh, far from where we want to be, but we shouldn’t look up right now.“

Management Decisions

Before Kovac’s appointment, Austrian national coach Ralf Rangnick declined an offer to coach BVB, criticizing the lack of a clear playing philosophy within the club. He noted that the absence of a consistent game plan over the years has affected player performance.

Transfer Speculations

In the winter transfer window, necessary adjustments to the squad were largely overlooked, leading to speculation about player departures this summer. The list of players deemed essential to retain is shrinking. If Dortmund fails to qualify for the Champions League for the first time in a decade, CEO Hans-Joachim Watzke indicated that significant sales would be necessary to compensate for the anticipated loss of revenue.

Last season, BVB earned approximately 120 million euros from the Champions League. Even a high-value transfer of top talent Jamie Gittens, estimated at over 50 million euros, would not suffice to cover the financial gap without adequate replacements.

Moreover, losing key players without proper substitutes would significantly impact the team’s competitive edge. Kovac’s comparison of Julian Brandt to elite German players seems aimed at enhancing his perceived value, stating, „I believe we all agree that Jule belongs in the same category as Wirtz and Musiala.“ This remark, however, was met with skepticism.