European Football Competition for Top Clubs - BVB and the aftermath of Wembley: anxiety over impending distress.
The weight of losing the Champions League final in Wembley was still heavy on Borussia Dortmund's shoulders. They knew that the defeated score of 0:2 against Real Madrid would have a similar impact to their missed championship in 2023.
"I think last year's league drama at the start of the season had an effect on us a bit," Nico Schlotterbeck reminisced on May 27, 2023, as Dortmund lost the previously-believed title to Mainz 2:2 on the last matchday.
The Dortmund players carried this burden into their new season, burdened by their league performance and ultimately finishing fifth. "I hope we start better in preparation this year and play a better Bundesliga season," Schlotterbeck said, though he didn't seem very confident. He feared "falling into such a small hole."
The Dortmund players expected a similar burden as last year, having dominated Real Madrid for 70 minutes but didn't score any goals. Coach Edin Terzic knew the biggest challenge was to keep their belief high.
There wasn't much of this belief in their after-game party. With drooping shoulders and sad faces, the players, who arrived several hours after the final whistle in a pre-organized gathering in London's city center, struggled to have any fun. Terzic tried to turn the frustration of his players into determination and immediate action.
"Even if there will be setbacks at the beginning of the next season, never let doubt win. If we all keep the faith in ourselves, then we will come back, then we will fight back," said Terzic.
Despite the lack of belief, some players praised the surprising Champions League season, saying it revealed their potential to cause problems for any team in the world. Schlotterbeck confidently added, "What I can say: We will celebrate a title for the fans and then have a big party."
However, changes were needed. Dortmund's season was filled with ups and downs, and their loss to Real Madrid demonstrated lack of world-class quality in their squad.
BVB plans to invest a large part of the more than 100 million euros earned from the Champions League in the team. Hans-Joachim Watzke had already announced that they would spend significantly more on transfers since it's new for Borussia Dortmund.
Marco Reus, the former captain, and Mats Hummels, the defensive leader, will likely be leaving the club. Terzic believes new leadership figures must emerge or develop. Reus, who has had a career marked by serious injuries and missed titles, will likely continue playing internationally.
The only titles Reus won with his hometown club, BVB, were the two DFB-Pokals. "We couldn't have wished for a better player to lift the cup," said Sebastian Kehl, the sport director, after Reus' last game for the BVB.
Hummels' future is still up in the air. His sad gestures towards the South Stand of the Dortmund fans after the last home game against Darmstadt were hard to miss. Furthermore, in a "Sport Bild" interview, he criticized Terzic's tactical approach, particularly in games against Stuttgart and Leverkusen.
"I was shocked because I thought: This is not how Borussia Dortmund should play - against any opponent in the world," said Hummels. If a contract extension in Dortmund is still possible, probably Hummels would have expressed his opinions more diplatically. "We'll discuss it in the next few days and then make a decision," said Kehl. "I really don't know," Hummels himself replied. "It feels strange not to know." His career may even reach an end as the "least likely option."
