Dortmund's debacle at the start of the season: 3-1 lead wasted against St. Pauli!

Dortmund's debacle at the start of the season: 3-1 lead wasted against St. Pauli!

The new Bundesliga season got off to anything but a positive start for Borussia Dortmund. On the first matchday, the Black and Yellows had to make do with a disappointing 3-3 draw against FC St. Pauli, after temporarily leading 3-1. A game marked by errors and misunderstandings led coach Niko Kovac to address the blame game among players, particularly between Serhou Guirassy and Rami Bensebaini, who felt responsible for the late goal conceded in the 89th minute. “It simply cannot happen that we give away games like this,” warned Kovac after the game and announced a comprehensive analysis of the reasons for the loss of points Welt reported.

Kovac was particularly critical of his team's lack of concentration and fighting spirit. It seemed as if Dortmund fell into a kind of slumber mode after a strong opening phase. “We have to work on our defensive work,” he stated after coordination problems arose again in the defense, which repeatedly put the opponent in position. The red card for Filippo Mane, who also caused a penalty on his debut, was the sticking point. Bronchness and uncertainty characterized the final phase.

Squad problems and transfer pressure

Dortmund has struggled with major absences this season with key defenders such as Nico Schlotterbeck and Niklas Süle injured. This forces Kovac to rely on inexperienced talents like Mane, whose performances in defense raise questions. BVB's transfer policy is also criticized. “There is simply a lack of alternatives,” said a comment from ran.

BVB has only signed Jobe Bellingham until the end of the transfer window. In order to strengthen the team qualitatively, discussions are underway about new signings such as Carney Chukwuemeka and Aaron Anselmino from Chelsea, as sporting director Sebastian Kehl confirmed. The budget was also boosted by the sale of Giovanni Reyna to Borussia Mönchengladbach. The sporting management is under pressure to significantly improve the squad before the transfer market closes.

The challenges of the new season

Coach Niko Kovac sees the strong initial phase as a ray of hope, but the complete failure in the final phase as a warning signal. “We can’t let leadership like this get out of our hands anymore,” Kovac appeals to his players. The last few seasons have shown that Dortmund have struggled with sending offs and the resulting weakening of the defense. This must change as quickly as possible in order to justify the high demands of participating in the Champions League.

At this point we can only hope that Borussia gets the problems mentioned under control and organizes the next games better. Robert Lewandowski and other top players are no longer in the squad, and the fans want a return to their old strength. It remains exciting to see how the situation around BVB will develop in the coming weeks.

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