Dortmund faces critical moment with Leipzig visiting this weekend

Posted : 01 November 2024

Borussia Dortmund is facing a challenging moment as they prepare to host RB Leipzig on Saturday, struggling through their worst league start in ten years. Currently sitting in seventh place, Dortmund suffered a humiliating exit from the German Cup, losing to struggling Wolfsburg in extra time on Tuesday, marking their earliest departure from the competition in 15 years.

The team has experienced a dismal run of form, losing four of their last five matches across all competitions, including a staggering 5-2 defeat against Real Madrid, despite initially leading 2-0 at halftime. This sharp decline in performance has sparked concerns about the capabilities of new head coach Nuri Sahin, who took over from Edin Terzic during the summer.

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Sahin acknowledged the "difficult situation" the team is in but expressed confidence that they can overcome the challenges. "We will get out of this," he stated. "It’s extremely bitter with the defeats, the cup exit, and our injury list, but we will still field a competitive team on the pitch."

Dortmund's injury woes are significant, with ten first-team players unavailable, including goalkeeper Gregor Kobel, who has been ruled out for the match against Leipzig. Sahin admitted, "Ten injured players is a tough blow. I haven’t experienced that before, but we won’t make excuses. That would be too easy."

In contrast, Leipzig is enjoying a successful season, remaining unbeaten alongside Bayern Munich at the top of the Bundesliga with 20 points, seven ahead of Dortmund after just eight matches. They have conceded only three goals, maintaining six clean sheets and extending their unbeaten league run to 19 matches since February.

Leipzig’s coach Marco Rose, who was unexpectedly dismissed by Dortmund after finishing second the previous season, described the upcoming match as "enjoyable and exciting." He noted his team's excellent form and confidence, stating, "We want to play with conviction, trust, and a lot of energy." Their performance has sparked dreams of clinching their first league title.

Despite Dortmund's struggles, they have a strong home advantage this season. All four of their league victories have come at home, including a standout 7-1 Champions League win against Celtic under Sahin at the Westfalenstadion. Meanwhile, Bayer Leverkusen will host Stuttgart, and Bayern Munich will face Union Berlin in other Bundesliga action.

In other news, Eintracht Frankfurt’s Omar Marmoush, who scored the winner in the German Cup against Borussia Moenchengladbach, is currently tied for the league lead with nine goals. Frankfurt coach Dino Toppmoeller believes Marmoush can be a significant threat to any opponent as they prepare for their next match against Bochum.

Dortmund faces critical moment with Leipzig visiting this weekend

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