Two Extra Games
Finishing outside of the top-eight means Dortmund will have two additional matches to contend with in the upcoming weeks. BVB finished the Champions League league phase with fifteen points from five wins and three losses. This is a respectable tally despite the disappointing loss to Bologna last week, and tenth-place isn’t the worst position to be in.
Dortmund will play a two-legged contest against either Sporting CP or Club Brugge, who finished twenty-third and twenty-fourth place respectively. Both teams are beatable opponents, and Dortmund has already beaten Club Brugge 3-0 this season, in Brugge, which should muster some confidence.
The biggest concern regarding these matches will be player fitness. If the first half of the season taught us anything, it’s that this squad is thin. The additional matches may also put a strain on Dortmund’s attempt to rise in the Bundesliga table.