Tella sets Leverkusen on fire and widens the gap with Dortmund!

Friday evening, the resumption of the Bundesliga quickly confronted us with early conclusions regarding this second half of the season. And the start was so striking that it left us with little other choice. Barely twenty-four seconds after kick-off, Nathan Tella's shot slammed under goalkeeper Gregor Kobel's bar, emphatically informing us that the balance of power at the top of the table is not about to change any time soon.

Certainly, it was not the quickest opening by the standards of the confrontations between Dortmund and Leverkusen. In August 2014, Karim Bellarabi scored the fastest goal in the history of the Bundesliga, nine seconds away, during the same clash at the opening of the 2014-2015 season. This brilliant shot symbolically marked the end of Dortmund's hopes of having a meaningful campaign that year.

Ten years later, although the protagonists and settings have changed, certain feelings remain. For Nuri Sahin, yesterday's frustration is reflected in today's, recording a first home defeat in the Bundesliga this season. On the other hand, for Leverkusen, everything evolved during this decade. They also encountered difficulties, notably during their victorious campaign the previous year, but they took the field without Xabi Alonso's crown prince, Florian Wirtz, who, along with Exequiel Palacios, was late for the rally of the team and was therefore left out of the starting lineup. Tella, an unexpected replacement, was able to erase doubts, highlighting the versatility of his team and validating the coach's choice.

It is this ability to adapt that makes Alonso a valuable asset for Leverkusen. Not just because of his tactics or his imagination, but through his way of calmly handling reality, whether favorable or not. His ability to adjust and readjust to reality gives Leverkusen durability. After taking an early 3-1 lead in less than 20 minutes against a weakened Dortmund side, the scoreline could have been much more in the visitors' favour, but it was not to be. Thanks to a contested penalty awarded by referee Tobias Stieler, Serhou Guirassy reduced the gap, but Leverkusen did not panic, even being closer to a fourth goal than Dortmund to an equalizer.

However, circumstances must be taken into account. Dortmund and their coach Sahin had to deal with a flu epidemic that decimated their squad, leaving out key players such as Nico Schlotterbeck, Emre Can, and Ramy Bensebaini, which revealed a defense that bordered on inexperienced . The absence of a fit central defender forced Julian Ryerson to fill the position, while Yannick Lührs and youngster Almugera Kabar made their first steps in the Bundesliga.

However, this match should not be reduced to a single performance, but is part of a broader trend. The pressure that weighed on this meeting is a reflection of the events that occurred before Christmas. Hesitant passing from an unfamiliar defense led to Tella's thunderous goal, illustrating the shortcomings of Sahin's side. Having fallen to eighth place, five points from the places for the Champions League, Dortmund must imperatively win against Holstein Kiel, which is fighting for its survival, this Tuesday, regardless of the players available (Sahin is pessimistic about a return of its sick players), otherwise the gap with the top four could widen irreversibly.

The late arrivals of Wirtz and Palacios were not the only ones to sow trouble around this meeting. Unusual traffic around Signal Iduna Park also delayed Dortmund's bus, delaying kick-off by 15 minutes. Lars Ricken brought up Rudi Völler's joke over dinner that the extra time was not necessary. “He said, 'Do it like back then. Change on the bus and go straight to the field,'” Ricken said.

Dortmund did not accept this proposal, unsurprisingly, given their need to optimize health measures. However, the attitudes left their mark. Leverkusen sees the obstacles to overcome, while Dortmund is content to note them with a sigh. One of these teams has a budget almost twice as big as the other, but judging by the matchup, guessing would be difficult. As for anticipating the one who has a plan for a successful second half of the season? It seems much simpler.