Actually this 3-2 victory by FC Bayern at Borussia Dortmund has a very tragic side, but nobody wanted to see it after this gripping Klassiker. Not only the Munich coach Vincent Kompany spoke of “advertising for the Bundesliga,” because the two best German teams had faced off offensively, intensely and also at a high level. Even Dortmund were satisfied, “we delivered an amazing fight,” said goalkeeper Gregor Kobel. That the season’s most important question, namely who will become champion, has already been decided by the end of February, was explicitly brushed aside. Meanwhile, the assumption that the competition is broken has been confirmed, which was evident to Niko Kovac.
The Dortmund coach was actually “satisfied” after this defeat, which turned the dream of a title into an unattainable utopia. Exactly like sports director Lars Ricken, he saw no reason for sorrow. At BVB they have adjusted to the overwhelming power of the rival from Munich. “The Bayern buy top players for 70, 80 million euros, we buy development players,” Kovac said, and that was evident not only in the decisive moments.
Harry Kane is really incredible with his now 30 goals and the fourth game in a row in which he scored two goals. Joshua Kimmich had two moments that Kovac called “world class,” as he initiated the 1:1 and drove the 2:3 with his weak left foot. By contrast on the Dortmund side were players like Yan Couto, Maximilian Beier, the possibly seriously injured Emre Can, Karim Adeyemi and Fabio Silva, who were already making an effort. Under the conditions of such an intense game they did not act clearly and precisely enough: in passing, in ball control, in decision-making, in finishing.
In a State of Frazzledness on Equal Terms
Dortmund reached equal terms only as long as, before halftime, they managed to create a state that Joshua Kimmich called “very unsettled.” “Of course I would have liked more control,” said the Munich captain, but after the break the Munich side sorted themselves out, “came out of the dressing room quite calmly and simply did their work,” said Kompany. Immediately the roles were distributed as they had solidified in their thoughts.
So far Dortmund has still given the impression of somehow resisting the supremacy on all levels. Now it seems to be enough for them to keep up. “You can see that we are developing a bit here,” Kovac explained, “the mood was very, very good and that shows that the people here were very satisfied as well.” The black-and-yellow towel has been thrown into the ring.
Interesting in this context is the question what Nico Schlotterbeck thinks about the situation and Dortmund’s capitulation, which sounded as if it extended beyond the season. The center-back had headed Dortmund’s 1-0, and he celebrated as decisively as if convinced he could still win the championship. At the same time, however, he also committed two fouls that linger in memory. First he was lucky to avoid a red card after a hard tackle on Josip Stanisic. Above all, he bears responsibility for the defeat because he caused the penalty that Kane converted to make it 1-2.
When Schlotterbeck was asked after the match whether he would congratulate the Bayern given the eleven-point gap to the title, his inner reluctance was evident. Schlotterbeck had declared the title as a goal several weeks ago, without consultation with coach and club management. That ambition, that way of thinking big, stands in clear contrast to the signals of subservience that come from Kovac and Ricken.
At the moment it is hard to tell from the outside how Schlotterbeck feels about remaining at BVB in light of this. However, bigger clubs like Bayern might not have a great interest in him. On this evening it was clear what the reason might be.
In several categories Schlotterbeck is a world-class defender. His left foot is perhaps even unique. His determination drives teams forward, his physical robustness is enormous. But football is a game that hinges on moments. And in those moments he still does too much damage to his teams. Time and again he causes penalties or red cards. “With Schlotti it’s often the case that he goes for a go-for-broke tackle,” said Kimmich. Maybe that also stems from the role of the player who has to push his limits to keep pace, but at the moment even that isn’t enough.
