Stuttering Dortmund face Bayern danger
BERLIN: Stuttering Borussia Dortmund are in big danger of falling six points behind resurgent champions Bayern Munich when the two German football giants meet in tomorrow’s Bundesliga topper.
Just over a month ago Peter Bosz’s Dortmund were unbeaten and held a five-point lead at the top over Bayern. Three rounds later they find themselves trailing Munich by three and things could be worse come tomorrow night.
Dortmund appeared invincible in the first seven unbeaten games of which they won six and had a stunning goal difference of 21-2.
But they always appeared vulnerable in defence which was then exposed in defeats against RB Leipzig (3-2) and Hanover (4-2), a draw against Eintracht Frankfurt (2-2) – and even more in the Champions League where they are on the brink of elimination after 3-1 defeats against Real Madrid and Tottenham and two 1-1 draws with APOEL Nicosia.
Bayern had their own bad spell in September, going winless in three Bundesliga games (drawing 2-2 after being 2-0 up against Wolfsburg and Hertha Berlin, and losing 2-0 at Hoffenheim) and coach Carlo Ancelotti having to go after a 3-0 meltdown at Paris Saint-Germain.
But they recalled the treble-winning helmsman from 2013, Jupp Heynckes, and after the Hertha draw in his debut game have won all following six games in all competitions to turn the tide, including a 2-1 at Celtic on Tuesday to qualify for Champions League knock-out stage.
Arjen Robben admitted that Munich’s league lead “didn’t seem possible” just a few weeks ago, but like Heynckes said that Dortmund won’t be a pushover despite their crisis: “They are a big rival, this season as well. These are always special games at a high level.” Heynckes said that “Borussia are a very good team even though they didn’t have good results lately,” but added “it is clear that we want to continue our run.”
Bayern have turned matters around with Javier Martinez returning into defensive midfield, and Robert Lewandowski is to return from muscular problems against his former club.
Bosz’s tactics have been questioned but he has defended his gameplan with high pressing. He was supported by forward Mario Goetze who said the slide “definitely has nothing to do with the system or the philosophy.”
Apart from defence, Dortmund are also struggling because their top striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has not found the net in the last three games but Bosz said “I am convinced he can turn it around soon.”
Other matches: RB Leipzig v Hanover; Freiburg v Schalke, Borussia Moenchengladbach v Mainz, Augsburg v Bayer Leverkusen, SV Hamburg v VfB Stuttgart; Cologne v Hoffenheim, Wolfsburg v Hertha; Frankfurt v Werder Bremen