This season Borussia Dortmund have only lost one league game. That came against leaders Bayern Munich. Despite this being a good stat on paper, it shows that the club isn’t still ready to step up when the stakes are high.
The scoreline for that game was only 2-1 but on the pitch Dortmund were completely dominated and outplayed. The same can be said about the big games in the Champions League.
The Black and Yellows lost comprehensively to Manchester City while also losing their games against Tottenham Hotspur and Inter Milan. This meant that the club wasn’t able to finish in the top 8 positions that would have seen them directly qualify for the last 16.
Inability to impose oneself on the big games is one of the big issues affecting the team. After the Manchester City loss, Niko Kovac admitted that the club isn’t really at the world class level of some of the biggest teams in the game.
" “We’re certainly a very good team in the Bundesliga and we reached the Champions League quarterfinals. But you have to say and acknowledge that this is a world-class team. We're not yet at that level, that has to be said. That's not a bad thing, because we have to be honest. We want to get there. To achieve that, we have to improve and work every day.” "he said
With Dortmund out of the DFB Pokal and the difficulties that remain in the league and Champions League, it looks like the team is heading for another trophyless season. Despite the need to close the gap to teams like Bayern, the club seems to be stuck in second gear.
In order to climb out of the mediocrity of just doing the bare minimum and qualifying for the Champions League every season, the side needs to impose itself on the big games and start collecting some valuable points.
Fans will no longer be happy about just securing European football; they would want to see their team fight for the big titles and secure trophies along the way. To do that, winning the big games and showing up when it matters is a vital aspect of what a club like Borussia Dortmund should do.
The need to be innovative and ambitious in the transfer market also goes along with that.