FC Salzburg vs Borussia Dortmund: Key takeaways from the second leg

Borussia Dortmund were humbled by minnows Salzburg in the UEFA Europa League Round of 16.

With the Black and Yellows now out of the competition, there season is all but over. Here are the takeaways from the second leg.

Salzburg Does Just Enough, BVB, Not Enough

One of the most amazing things about this match was the fact that for large stretches, Salzburg controlled the tempo. For a side which “on paper” is far less talented than their Black and Yellow counterparts, they rarely looked the part on the pitch.

Dortmund were simply outclassed over both legs, make no mistake about it. What has arguably been their worst European campaign in recent memory, ended with a resounding thud in Salzburg on Thursday night

Based on the effort of Peter Stöger’s side, they did not deserve to go through to the quarter-finals. No, indeed not. They are in fact precisely where they should be: fighting for their Champions League lives for next season and out of Europe.

Yep, The Defense is Still Broken

If you ever want to see what a broken record sounds like in terms of football, you need look no further than pundits of the game talking BVB’s horrific back line. Little more needs to be said about this.

The marking was horrendous once again, the clearances poor, and far too many Salzburg counter-attacks were permitted. In fact, forget about Dortmund scoring a goal to close the aggregate gap. It is far more astounding that Salzburg did not widen it.

Salzburg’s chance creation was quite good, though they were denied several times by BVB keeper Roman Bürki. Their last shot attempt was a beautiful zinger right down the middle, defelcting off of the cross bar. Salzburg’s attack won the battle over Dortmund’s defense, no question.

More from BVB Buzz

• Paris Saint-Germain vs Borussia Dortmund: How to watch, live stream info and more
• Opinion: Borussia Dortmund’s win over Freiburg far more narrow than scoreline suggests
• Expected Borussia Dortmund lineup vs Paris Saint-Germain
• Bundesliga Roundup: Serhou Guirassy, Xavi Simons, Mats Hummels star on matchday four
• Paris Saint-Germain vs Borussia Dortmund: Team News, Preview

Peter Stöger Makes Massive Changes to the Line-up

Let me start by saying that I have no problem with this decision in the right circumstance. If you want to give young Dan-Axel Zagadou or Alexander Isak their chance to shine, by all means, do so.

I would suggest however, to perhaps attempt this during a league match against someone like Hamburg or Mainz, and not in a European elimination match.

This was a poor decision on the manager’s part, who earlier in the week jokingly claimed that retaining his job at season’s end may come down to this match. If this is indeed the case, then he most certainly shot himself in the foot at point blank range.

Why Does Dortmund Only Give Effort When its too Late?

BVB is the streakiest team in the Bundesliga, that is for certain. For 20 minutes they look like a Champions League side, capable of going toe-to-toe with anyone on the continent. Other times, they look like a relegation candidate.

The result of mixing those two things together is what Dortmund truly is this season: an average Bundesliga side based on performance, but with superior talent.

Talent alone, does not get the job done. The players who possess it must also utilize it for a full 90 minutes and not a mere 20, or only in small doses. This is what happens to BVB far too often.

It was on display yet again as the ferocious BVB attack showed it’s might in the closing 20 minutes against Salzburg. They created more chances during that period of time than during the rest of the match combined.

It was all in vain though. Salzburg’s defense, while shaky during the closing minutes, did enough to keep the ball out of the back of the net, seeing themselves go through to the next round. This fixture was in fact lost by Dortmund at the Westfalenstadion. One word: unacceptable

Dortmund Has More Luck Than Skill

BVB is creating chances it would appear, with shear luck, rather than a well-organized offensive strategy. It is almost as if they are crossing for crossing’s sake, without much concern for a target or destination.

This “spray and pray” philosophy is a far departure from the attacks we witnessed under Klopp, Tuchel, and hell, even Bosz. Indeed, Stöger’s Dortmund takes a page from the twelve year old kid playing Call of Duty: Shoot, shoot, shoot, miss, miss, miss. Don’t worry, eventually you will hit something.

Dortmund are not only not playing attractive football, they aren’t playing efficient football either. You can have one and not the other, but you cannot lack both. Salzburg defenders are still watching the over-abundance of crosses fly by them in their heads.

Borussia Dortmund desperately needs an effective tactical philosophy. With a new manager in the summer this will be a reality. If Stöger extends, expect more of the same.