Borussia Dortmund suffered their fourth consecutive defeat as they lost 2-1 to Bologna in the Champions League group stage. Despite qualification already assured for the round of 16, this match was of capital importance for the confidence of the players and especially for the future of coach Nuri Sahin, now in the hot seat.
An encouraging but insufficient start
With three changes to the starting XI from the 0-2 defeat in Frankfurt, Sahin opted for a 4-3-3 pattern, leaving executives like Emre Can and Julian Brandt on the bench, while Bensebaini was suspended. . These adjustments quickly bore fruit, with a penalty converted by Guirassy in the 15th minute giving BVB an early lead. However, this goal scored with difficulty, after a narrow intervention from Skorupski, was one of the few positive moments.
Despite an additional opportunity for Reyna (17th), Dortmund failed to capitalize on their advantage. Little by little, the Italians took control of the game, putting the German defense under pressure. Kobel kept his team in the match with several decisive interventions, notably against Orsolini.
The reversal in the second period
Upon returning from the locker room, the nature of the match swung in favor of Bologna, although the pace remained choppy. Vincenzo Italiano’s men, despite Orsolini’s premature exit due to injury, found the necessary resources to reverse the trend. In the space of 90 seconds, the Italian substitutes changed the course of the match: Odgaard equalized in the 71st minute after an error from Anton, before Iling-Junior, who came on in place of Orsolini, gave the advantage goes to the locals in the 72nd minute.
A non-existent reaction from Dortmund
In the last half hour, Dortmund showed no signs of revolt. Neither the substitutions made by Sahin, with the entries of Can and Brandt, nor the rare offensive forays allowed BVB to come back to the score. Worse still, the Italians almost increased the score on several occasions, but lacked realism in the final minutes.
Nuri Sahin’s future more uncertain than ever
Borussia Dortmund’s defeat against Bologna in the Champions League, added to a series of disappointing performances, places Nuri Sahin in an extremely precarious position. While this match was seen as a final opportunity to turn things around, the team failed to meet expectations, fueling speculation about a possible change at the head of the club.
-Criticisms against Sahin and his team have multiplied, notably those of Matthias Sammer during an intervention for Prime Video Sport after the meeting. The former manager and consultant did not mince his words:
- « The team cannot defend. But she can’t attack either. »(« L’équipe ne sait pas défendre. Mais elle ne sait pas non plus attaquer. »)
- “Keine klare Structure in der Mannschaft. » (“There is no clear structure in this team.”)
- “Wir sind nicht an einer Übermannschaft gescheitert. » (“We didn’t lose to an exceptional team.”)
- « One team seems to be coming (Bologna). The other one goes (BVB). »(« Une équipe semble progressiveer (Bologne). L’autre s’effondre (Dortmund). »)
- « The team is mentally and physically in a bad condition. »(« L’équipe est mentalement et physiquement hors de forme. »)
These incisive comments underline the lack of game plan and dynamism in a team which seems to be running out of steam. With Erik ten Hag favorite to succeed Sahin and other names under discussion, the future of the former Turkish midfielder at the head of the club seems more and more compromised. Borussia must imperatively regain sporting stability and meet the high expectations of its supporters and managers, otherwise it will suffer an even more catastrophic season.
Next deadlines
Borussia will have to recover quickly to avoid sinking further. From Saturday, the club will face Werder Bremen in the Bundesliga, before concluding the group stage of the Champions League against Shakhtar Donetsk. For Sahin and his team, each match now becomes a decisive test.
Photo credit: Alessandro Sabattini/Getty Images
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