FIt will be little consolation for the Borussia Dortmund players that after their return to Germany on Wednesday afternoon they can look back on a beautiful trip to a late summer Paris. The dominant feeling that will remain is the clear inferiority that characterized the 2-0 defeat at Paris Saint-Germain at the start of the new Champions League season.
A feeling that complements the impressions of the Bundesliga season so far: BVB is currently not a team that plays football at the level at which the members of this club would like to keep up on a long-term basis.
Actually, the French were already vulnerable that evening, but the guest from Germany wasted a number of good counterattack opportunities through careless inaccuracies and bad decisions. Instead of exposing real danger themselves, Dortmund collapsed under pressure from the favorites in the decisive phase of the game. Difficult away games in the Champions League cannot be won like this.
Terzic’s interesting plan
Edin Terzic had developed a very interesting plan: the question that was discussed in the run-up to the game was whether Dortmund coach Niclas Füllkrug or Sebastién Haller would field. When the teams were announced shortly before kick-off, both names were missing from the first eleven. Karim Adeyemi and Donyell Malen formed the offensive, so the core of the strategy for this evening was clear: speed.
There were also three central defenders on the pitch: Niklas Süle, Nico Schlotterbeck and Mats Hummels. At the back, a chain of five should close spaces and win balls, which should then be transported to the French goal as quickly as possible.
And at least the defense initially worked quite well: When the super sprinters Kylian Mbappé and Ousmane Dembélé picked up the pace, there were almost always enough Dortmund players there to close the spaces. The dominance of the Parisians was, however, overwhelming at times. Only in the initial phase and when PSG was already leading 2-0 were there any relief attacks.
The lack of playing quality became a crucial problem when Marcel Sabitzer had to be replaced early with an injury and Lukas Nmecha came into the game (14th minute). In a shocking number of moments in which things could have been really dangerous in front of the Paris goal, Dortmund wasted their opportunities through inaccuracies and bad decisions that were difficult to explain.
There was also a lack of intensity on defense at times, but the order was good. In the 18th minute, the Bundesliga club needed a little luck when a shot from 18 meters from Vitinha hit the post, but it was also clear that PSG is still finding its way into this season. Spanish coach Luis Enrique’s team is only fifth in the league, having lost a home game against Nice 2-3 just last weekend.
Tough penalty decision
But Dortmund also lacked the support of the referees for a possible success: Shortly after the break, the ball hit the arm of Süle, who tried to support himself as he fell with a movement that in the world of referees actually clearly falls into the “natural” category. must be assigned. But the referees decided on a penalty.
Mbappé took the chance to make it 1-0 (49th), and when former Dortmund player Achraf Hakimi scored 2-0 for the French (58th) after a combination of seven meters that was finally a top-class footballer, it was actually clear who would win here.
The 30-year-old Füllkrug made his first appearance in the Champions League and in the end BVB was better again. Jamie Bynoe-Gittens, who was also substituted, hit the outside post (79′). But the rebellion came too late.
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