Stop the bleeding: Borussia Dortmund want to end uncomfortable run of 11 years without winning the Bundesliga

For more than a decade, the aurinegros have experienced ups and downs in the race for silver salvos

May 27, 2023 could be marked forever in the history of Borussia Dortmund. For the last round of the Bundesliga, the aurinegros take the field against Mainz 05 and can lift the trophy in case of victory. If the chance does materialize, it will be the first time in 11 years that the Ruhr Valley fan has seen his side top the final table in Germany.

In more than a decade of fasting, Borussia have experienced a great ups and downs, but have never reached their high point. He has gone through moments of doubt, difficulty, technical instability and has seen rivals Bayern Munich dominate German football. Therefore, the SHOT! has prepared a special recalling the Bundesliga’s drought years in Dortmund and what the team has been through leading up to this weekend.

THE GOLDEN AGE

Aurinegros’ last two Bundesliga titles took place in the 2010-11 and 2011-12 seasons. Under the command of the famous and, at the time, still seen as a promising Jürgen Klopp, Borussia Dortmund achieved their first victory of the second league with 75 points, 10 more than Bayern. The Bavarians were only in third place and saw Bayer Leverkusen finish second in the competition. Furthermore, Dortmund won their seventh title and equaled Schalke 04, the club’s local rivals.

In the following season, the story wasn’t much different. Eight points difference between the two formations, with 83 to 71. Bayern, this time, would love second place. For the Bavarians he painted a great chance for a rematch in the German Cup final. However, what we saw in the decision was a great performance by Klopp’s men: 5 to 2 for Dortmund and a national brace. Reprisal, however, would come a year later: in the 2012-13 Champions League final, Dutchman Arjen Robben scored the winning goal for the Munich side in the final minutes and would put an end to Dortmund’s dream. The performance hasn’t been the same since and this would be the team’s best chance to conquer the continent.Klopp and Lewandowski in action for Borussia (Photo: JOHN MACDOUGALL/AFP)

HUGE FALL

After the second place in Europe, the Dortmund team never saw the Bundesliga trophy again. There have been years away from the title and unstable campaigns for the aurinegra team. In the two seasons following the latter finish, the team suffered back-to-back chances for second place, with difference of 25 and 19 points on both occasions. In 2014-15, the performance would be even worse. Klopp didn’t play the ball in the best way for the team and was in the relegation zone mid-season, but with consecutive second-half victories there was still a move up the table and Borussia reached the qualifying zone for the Europa League.

In 2015-16, without Klopp, Thomas Tuchel took over the team, which also fought for the title, but finished behind Bayern by a dozen points. He tasted second place in the German Cup again, when he lost to his Bavarian rival on penalties, and was knocked out of the Europa League by Liverpool by… Jürgen Klopp. Not easy years for Borussia Dortmund who would lose great players against Bayern themselves, such as Mario Götze, Robert Lewandowski and Mats Hummels.

It would then be up to the only survivor of the star boat to try to return to the glory years of the team. Marco Reus, who arrived shortly after winning his last silver salute, hadn’t yet had the pleasure of lifting one of the two main national trophies. The Bundesliga was absent in 2016-17 and 2017-18, but a German Cup win against Eintracht Frankfurt in 2017 would have been small consolation for the fan.

OPEN WOUND

In 2018-19, however, the story would be a little different. The team that has become accustomed to seeing Bayern always opening a double-digit lead at the end of the season would still be fighting for the title. Of the first 27 rounds, Dortmund were leaders in 21 and showed signs that their seven-year drought would end. However, in the last seven rounds, the team lost steam and could not keep up the pace, seeing the Bavarians open up ahead. In the last round, aurinegros still had chances and beat Borussia Monchengladbach away, in a tough clash, but Bayern conceded no chances through bad luck and beat Frankfurt 5-1, lifting the trophy for the seventh consecutive time.

In the next three seasons, Borussia was far from fighting for the title and felt the taste for leadership only in the first two rounds of the 2019-20 season. Only in 2022-23 would the team be back in the running for the trophy. Winning the German Cup in 2020-21 was a consolation for difficult years. At the time, Haaland and Sancho each scored twice in a 4-1 draw against RB Leipzig Haaland and Sancho celebrate a goal in the German Cup final (Photo: JOHN MACDOUGALL / POOL / AFP)

GROWTH AT THE RIGHT TIME

The current season has been different for the Borussia team. The squad was strengthened with the arrival of important players, such as Sébastien Haller, Karim Adeyemi and Niklas Süle, and other important players were retained. Jude Bellingham, despite the former seduction made by clubs like Real Madrid and Liverpool, has kept his head intact in Germany and has been fundamental. Marco Reus has renewed his contract with the club and will remain at Borussia for more seasons, finding himself as team leader in 2022-23.

The Prussians have played top-flight football this season under Edin Terzic and have not allowed Bayern to break away at the top of the table. The team was ahead only after three rounds: the 25th, 29th and penultimate, which gave the team the opportunity to count only on itself in the final round. For the first time since the 2006-07 season, the lead changed hands between the final two rounds.

If the conquest materializes this Saturday, Borussia have something to celebrate in the direct clash. Despite the tough defeat suffered in the round of 16, the first duel with Bayern was decisive for the lead in the final round. Goretzka and Sané opened up 2-0 for the Bavarians at Signal Iduna Park and looked to have victory secured. In the 27th minute of the second stage, Modeste serves Moukoko, who shakes the goals and reduces the scoreboard. Desperate, the Frenchman, who had already conceded a goal, appeared in stoppage time to tie the game and make the yellow wall celebrate. The only goal could have been to equalize, but in the end it made the difference: if Modeste hadn’t scored, Bayern would have won 2-1 and would have reached the finals with 70 points, against Borussia’s 69, and would have had the upper hand in the final act.

STOP THE BLEEDING

Years after failing to overcome their opponent in the last round, Dortmund have a chance to accomplish the same feat. Two points clear of Bayern, a simple win over Mainz 05 at Signal Iduna Park with the promise of a full house is enough to end the 11-year fast. In case they stumble, the Aurinegros need Colônia to keep the Bavarians at home. A level draw, which would come with a draw for the Ruhr Valley outfit and a win for the Munich outfit, would give Bayern the title, as the goal difference for Thomas Tuchel’s side is 14 goals more than that of the commanded by Edin Terzic.

This Saturday’s conquest would set up Borussia Dortmund in their ninth title, equaling the second greatest champions, Nuremberg. Both Borussia-Mainz and Cologne-Bayern will take place this Saturday at 10:30 (Brasilia time), and the simultaneity of the matches will be crucial for the excitement of the last round of the Bundesliga.

Source: Terra

Rose

Rose James is a Gossipify movie and series reviewer known for her in-depth analysis and unique perspective on the latest releases. With a background in film studies, she provides engaging and informative reviews, and keeps readers up to date with industry trends and emerging talents.