But the team does not have solid foundations.
Borussia is average until at least next season
On the eve of the New Year, the head coach of the “black and yellows” Nuri Sahin summed up the interim results of the team’s season:
We are certainly not yet where we see ourselves in the Bundesliga, where we should be. We have a results crisis, I can’t talk about it. And we must overcome it together. The fact that people, including myself, are looking critically at this situation is completely normal. We’ve had too many ups and downs. I have already seen this year the direction things can take if we are stable.
A clear and concise assessment of Borussia. The team was led by an inexperienced coach, the experiment with Shahin presented a huge risk. Dortmund naturally trembles, it loses points against lower class teams (1:5 from Stuttgart, 1:2 from Union, 1:1 with Mönchengladbach, 1:3 from Mainz) and even outsiders (1:1 with Hoffenheim, 1:2 Augsburg).
The most laconic example is the match against Real Madrid. Los Blancos just didn’t show up in the first half and gave away a two-goal lead. But Shahin himself, thanks to his substitutions, allowed the opponent to come back strongly. Shahin’s Borussia is still a frankly raw project. And this for at least a year, and perhaps several seasons.
Can only claim ambiguous improvements
Dortmund has modest resources: it is a donor to the big clubs, not a European giant. And the “black and yellow” have found their sector on the market. High-level transfers are not available to them, but they can claim “downed pilots”. Jadon Sancho was a successful transfer last winter. The Englishman has not shown his peak for a long time, and at the start of the 23/24 season he also had a falling out with Ten Hag. The big guys just didn’t pay attention to him – he was too controversial a candidate. But Borussia was able to rent the winger on favorable terms.
This time, the “black and yellows” wanted to repeat the feat, now with Marcus Rashford. The winger was also released from the team (he only recently returned) – and it is clear to everyone that he will leave his hometown club this summer. Dortmund wanted to conclude a lease until the end of the season; the footballer himself might be interested in this option (he does not want to leave the leading European championship). Of course, the chances of success are now less, because the rent risks being too expensive. And there is great demand for the footballer – Milan have also joined the hunt.
Alonso relaunched the “pharmacists”
When, after an enchanting last season, Bayer fell back to the outskirts of the top 5 this year, no one was surprised – such an effect took hold. In the first 10 rounds, the Pharmacists lost points six times, even against Holstein Kiel, Stuttgart and Bochum. It was late, but the magic began to work again. Leverkusen have won eight games in a row (including five in the Bundesliga). During that time we knocked Bayern out of the German Cup and faced Inter in the Champions League. In the championship, they got closer to the Munich team: the gap is only four points. Bayer is on the rise.
Chic and Wirtz on fire
Over the last five rounds, Alonso’s team conceded only five goals, while scoring 16. The leaders of the attack showed themselves again. Few people expected a revival of Patrick Chic. Cech shone in the team three years ago, but the following season he began to suffer from injuries. By the time Patrick resumed his duties, Boniface shone among the “pharmacists” and Schick had disappeared into the shadows. Today, the situation is reversed. Patrick started training more – and by the time Leverkusen took off, the Czech had scored eight goals.
Wirtz experienced a decline after a shock start – in the first four rounds Florian did not remain without effective actions, but in the next five matches he completely disappeared on the field. It was only in November that the midfielder was able to return to form – he began to get assists and goals. And during the recent match against Freiburg, the midfielder performed well, participating in four of the five goals of the “pharmacists”.
Summer will be hard
Alonso was expected at Real, Bayern, Man City and other big European clubs want Wirtz. Last summer, there was a demand for almost everyone in the Bayer team. Then the players followed the coach’s example and did not leave – they wanted to pay tribute to the club. This decision threatened to become the biggest mistake of their career. Much of Bayer’s success has to do with an ideal combination of circumstances. “Magic” won’t happen again – will there be a demand for players? It is now clear that “pharmacists” continue to develop and no longer rely as much on their “magic” to finish matches.
For this reason, Leverkusen can get the most out of the current team now, and for the same reason it will be very difficult later. The demand for team leaders and head coaches will only increase. They showed their stability and resistance to the highest loads (Bayer is now treated as a top club, there is a corresponding plan against them – and the Champions League has also been added). It will not be possible to retain the core for the second consecutive offseason; someone will definitely leave. Or maybe most of it.
Dortmund is a troublesome opponent for Bayer
Despite the story of the “pharmacists” last season, Borussia did not submit to Alonso’s gang. Two matches – two draws. And it’s during Bayer’s most successful season in recent years. Before that, Dortmund had beaten Bayer twice, keeping a clean sheet each time. If we take the period of the last 20 matches, the statistics are not convincing either: 11 defeats, four draws and only five victories.
Forecast Soccer.ru: And yet, now, the difference in class, stability, experience is too great. Bayer will win.
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