Borussia Dortmund 1-0 PSG: Three takeaways as BVB reach Champions League final
By Joseph Meyer
Again, the pundits wrote Borussia Dortmund off. Again, they praised PSG’s attack while highlighting BVB's deficiencies. Again, they were wrong. Here we are, a fan-owned club defeating the Qatar-backed PSG to claim a place in the UEFA Champions League final. There’s a special aura in the air right now, do you feel it? And the Black and Yellows now have a date with destiny scheduled for June 1 at the Wembley stadium.
It has been a long road, starting with winning the group of date, overcoming PSG, Newcastle United and AC Milan. Then came Dutch champions PSV Eindhoven, followed by Atletico Madrid.
Borussia Dortmund dispatched both with mature performances. Finally, it was PSG again, and Edin Terzic's side came out on top 1-0… twice! A team does not reach the UEFA Champions League final by chance. BVB have earned their place. Here are a few of my takeaways.
Borussia Dortmund have a rock solid defence
PSG had the majority of ball possession over the two legs, but that didn’t mean it was all meaningful. They managed thirty shots on Tuesday alone, but only five were on target. In the first leg, PSG managed 14 shots with just three on target. This means that over 180 minutes, Borussia Dortmund only allowed eight shots on target against the star-studded PSG. This only happens when you have a defence as effective as BVB do.
Mats Hummels and Nico Schlotterbeck are an immaculate centre-back pairing and they have both been excellent on the Champions League stage this season. Julian Ryerson had Kylian Mbappé on lock on Tuesday, and Ian Maatsen also put in a largely stable shift despite having to do a lot more defending than usual.
In addition, Emre Can, Marcel Sabitzer, Julian Brandt, and even Karim Adeyemi constantly tracked back to assist the defence, keeping things compact. With everyone hustling and contributing to the team's cause, PSG were constantly forced into difficult positions. Add Gregor Kobel to the mix, and you've got a defence that can go toe to toe with the world's best.