Borussia Dortmund seemed bound for a disaster of a season. Within the Bundesliga limbo for most of the season, the Black and Yellows made a remontada and managed a top-four finish and Champions League football in the last matchday of the season. A 3-nil win over the relegated Holstein Kiel at the Signal Iduna Park consolidates a solid job from Niko Kovač, who led the team back to the top of the table.
The match started in the best way possible for BVB. With an early penalty and score and Kiel's red card, the homeowners seemed to be on the right track for a nerveless win. However, since it's Dortmund, things are never that easy, as BVB struggled to break their low blocks, and Kobel was the hero again, saving the draw close to halftime. At some point, BVB were out of the UCL.
The second half, thankfully, started more excitingly. Frankfurt's late equalizer in the first half already calmed fans down a little bit, while Sabitzer's second goal right at the beginning turned the Yellow Wall into a party house. From that point on, matters were much easier for Dortmund. Felix Nmecha gave final numbers to the game and, with Frankfurt's 3-1 comeback, BVB could finally celebrate in peace.
A lovely ending for a season that did not give much reason for fans to hope for. Even though BVB should aim for even higher goals, that will be enough for now, as Kovač and company need to prove that they can take the next step. Here are the final payer ratings of BVB's 2024/2025 season:
Goalkeeper & Defense
Gregor Kobel (8/10) – Kobel was pivotal in this match. Despite Kiel's lack of chances, when they got to Kobel's goal, the Swiss Wall made key saves and stopped BVB from overcomplicating things. That foot save in the first half was from another planet.
Ramy Bensebaini (7/10) – Bensebaini had a few bad moments in possession and crossing the ball in the first half, but he recovered well in the second half.
Waldemar Anton (7/10) – Waldemar Anton took this game as it should have been: like a final. Played seriously during the whole match and helped guarantee the clean sheet.
Niklas Süle (7/10) – Niklas Süle had another great run, and it will be interesting how things play out for him next season.
Midfield
Julian Ryerson (6/10) – Ryerson also wasted many crosses in this match, but he compensated with his discipline and non-stop running after the ball.
Marcel Sabitzer (8/10) – Sabitzer had a lovely day. From orchestrating the midfield to shooting in dangerous positions, the Polish international did a bit of everything Kovač's system requires. His goal was vital for Dortmund's UCL qualification.
Felix Nmecha (8/10) - A great goal and performance overall for Felix, who used his physicality and ball control pretty wisely today.
Julian Brandt (7/10) – Good dynamism on and off the ball, but Brandt was a little distant from his good performances in the past few matches.
Daniel Svensson (8/10) - Daniel Svensson has been a bargain. What an assist for Nmecha's goal and the definition of consistency on and off the ball.
Serhou Guirassy (8/10) – What a debut season from Serhou Guirassy. Another score that adds to his 34 goals this season. A stellar signing.
Karim Adeyemi (6/10) – Adeyemi was a little off his usual self, struggling to find spaces and good scoring opportunities. He had a great play close to the byline in the first half, but that was pretty much it for "The Dream."
Emre Can, Julien Duranville, Carney Chukwuemeka, Gio Reyna (N/A) – They did not have any impact since coming into the second half.
Niko Kovač (8/10) – Kovač deserves the props for providing pattern and consistency for Dortmund once again. Following a disastrous spell under Sahin, Kovač took his time, but he eventually found a formation and strategy that fit the squad he had at hand. No club had such a remontada in the Bundesliga, and he deserves all credit for this accomplishment.
However, Kovač still has a lot to prove. The team clearly struggled against a 10-man and relegated Kiel squad, and things could get dirtier if it wasn't for Kobel. I still question how high BVB's ceiling is under him, but it is unquestionable that he raised the team's floor and made the Black and Yellows compete. Next season, Kovač needs to prove he can adapt and rise to the occasion when his scheme eventually doesn't work, and take Dortmund to where it belongs: staying up top and fighting for trophies.