Borussia Dortmund squad depth analysis and 2021/22 preview
The Midfield
Borussia Dortmund have a depth of talent in midfield. Marco Rose will be spoilt for choice, considering the quality options he has to pick from. The Black and Yellows have a wide variety of midfielders who can play in different roles. And it will certainly be interesting to see how Rose decides to set his team up over the course of the season.
Jude Bellingham will be crucial to Borussia Dortmund’s success heading into his second season with the club. He is just as capable playing in attacking and defensive roles. He is a box to box midfielder who not only provides the team with a creative spark, but also gives them a dependable presence with his combative nature.
Another mainstay of the midfield is Axel Witsel, who has only recently recovered from his torn achilles tendon. His absence was certainly felt in the second half of last season. And Marco Rose will count on him to offer stability and composure in the middle of the park this season.
Mahmoud Dahoud has also made quite an impression on Marco Rose. He will be key to Borussia Dortmund’s chances this season. Dahoud seems to be improving on the defensive side of his game. And we all know how good he is when given the license to pull the attacking strings from midfield.
Thomas Delaney is another option in defensive midfield, but he could leave the club this summer. The Dane brings a strong defensive capability and robustness. But his lack of technical quality might make him look a little out of place if Marco Rose continues with the diamond formation.
Emre Can is another key defensive presence in midfield. He is one of the best at pumping up the team and providing a ruthless edge that Dortmund so often lacked last season. And his versatility makes him an important player to have in the squad. But his decision making is not always the best, which could work against him especially with the competition so high.
Another midfield option is the highly rated Abdoulaye Kamara. The 16 year old joined Borussia Dortmund on a free transfer from PSG this summer, and made his debut for the U-23s recently.
Moving to the wide positions, Thorgan Hazard and Ansgar Knauff are Borussia Dortmund’s only out and out wingers. Hazard showed improvements last season despite struggling with injuries. He will be hoping to stay injury free and become a regular starter in the team this season.
The leader in the attacking midfield is Marco Reus. The 32-year-old is one of the most dangerous attacking midfielders in the game. And he goes into the new season looking fresh and back to his very best. He will be vital to Dortmund’s hopes of winning the Bundesliga title.
Reus opted out of playing for Germany at the Euros, and it looks like he has benefitted from the break. He has started the season in top form; getting an assist in the opening game against Wehen Wiesbaden, and scoring the opening goal against Eintracht Frankfurt.
Another option in attacking midfield is Julian Brandt, who has failed to live up to the expectations that came with his move from Bayer Leverkusen in 2019. The jury is still out on him, but this season is likely to be a make or break one for Brandt at Borussia Dortmund.
On the right wing, the key issue is that Borussia Dortmund will need to find a way to replace Jadon Sancho. The England international will no doubt be a hard act to follow. He managed 16 goals and 20 assists last season, and Marco Rose will now have to find a way to replace that. BVB have signed Donyell Malen as his replacement. Although the Netherlands international is a very different player to Sancho. He can play in a two-striker system and also out wide.
The no.7 shirt has been inherited by Gio Reyna, who will be looking to continue his development and become a regular starter this season. Reyna is more of a playmaker, who likes to drift into central positions. He has been used as a number eight by Marco Rose in the games so far.
Another option may be Real Madrid loanee Reinier. The 19-year-old recently helped Brazil win the Olympic gold medal. But he only managed 19 appearances for Borussia Dortmund last season, and most of them came from the bench. His ability to play both on the left and right wings may well be his trump card.
Marius Wolf is an additional option on the right-wing. He spent last season on loan with FC Köln, and was most effective on the right-wing. The main advantage of Wolf returning could prove to be his ability to also contribute in the right-back position.