Borussia Dortmund keeping pace with Bayern Munich in Bundesliga title race
Unbeaten in 14 Bundesliga matches and on a run of five consecutive victories, Borussia Dortmund are increasingly embodying their role as serious title contenders. Helmed by Niko Kovač, who himself has a history of making up ground in title races, will Die Schwarzgelben catch their rivals from Munich to claim the 2025/26 Meisterschale?
If a team’s ability to turn games around and score important late goals is a reliable spirit measure against which to test their title credentials, Dortmund will feel - after their stellar performances in recent weeks – that they’re in with every shot of catching Bayern.
After all, in the earlier stages of the campaign, Die Schwarzgelben had developed something of a reputation for conceding late equalisers, dropping points from winning positions courtesy of goals coming after the 89th minute on Matchday 1, 10 and 11 against St. Pauli, Hamburg, and Stuttgart respectively.
However, since the new year, BVB have turned what was arguably one of their biggest weaknesses into one of their greatest strengths. Their 2-1 victory away to Wolfsburg on Matchday 21 was just the latest example of how they are managing to find ways to win late on and are grinding out results – in this case thanks to an 87th-minute Serhou Guirassy winner.
Watch: Wolfsburg 1-2 Borussia Dortmund - highlights
The result in Wolfsburg marked the fourth time this calendar year that Dortmund have managed turn games around late on to claim points, having previously snatched a point in the 96th minute away to Eintracht Frankfurt on Matchday 16, netted a last-gasp 97th-minute winner at home to Pauli on Matchday 18, and overturned 2-1 deficit to claim a 3-2 win over Heidenheim on Matchday 20.
Such results have lent serious weight to the comments made by vice-captain Nico Schlotterbeck after his side’s downing of Heidenheim. The centre-back had raised a few eyebrows with his clear statement of intent, declaring: “As BVB, we have to have the ambition to say to our fans that we want to be champions.”
However, now just six points behind their rivals from the south, and with a home instalment of Der Klassiker to be played on Matchday 24, Schlotterbeck’s sentiments may ultimately be seen as prophetic come the season’s end.
After all, with five consecutive victories, Dortmund are the form team in the Bundesliga at present, and although the gap to the top remains six points, that has been reduced from 11 after Matchday 18.
Nevertheless, in contrast to his vice-captain, Kovač is not one for rousing battle cries. Again, following the Heidenheim victory, the Dortmund head coach cooled speculation, saying his focus was much more “on the rear-view mirror” - in other words, on BVB’s pursuers. That said, those chasers were kept at arm’s length again a week later, prompting Schlotterbeck to double down on his message.
“The lads noticed during the week how fired up I am for it,” admitted the Germany international. “It’s extremely important that we have the focus and the belief to challenge at the top.” Schlotterbeck also felt his words had had a positive effect on his teammates, adding: “Of course, I hope it helped a bit.”
Dortmund’s defensive leader also found backing from experienced midfielder Julian Brandt, who himself had been on the scoresheet against Wolfsburg and would hardly mind ending the season with a trophy in his hands.
Revealing the atmosphere within Die Schwarzgelben’s dressing room, the 29-year-old said: "We still had confidence because we've often managed to score goals in the last 10 minutes or score last-minute goals this season.
“There won’t be anyone saying they no longer believe [we can do it] - you can search the dressing room in vain for that.”
Despite downplaying his side’s chances, one reason for Dortmund’s stark belief in themselves may lie squarely with their coach's stellar record in the latter half of Bundesliga campaigns. Last term, the Croatian coach managed to claw back 10 points on the UEFA Champions League places over the final eight matchdays to claim fourth place on the final day of the season.
What’s more, in the 2018/19 campaign, Kovač pulled off a genuine masterstroke - albeit as Bayern coach and to the detriment of his current employers. Back then, his Munich side were nine points behind Dortmund after 15 rounds of fixtures, yet he ultimately guided the record champions to yet another league title. As such, Dortmund will be wishing Kovač can repeat the same trick in reverse.
For now, hope around the Signal Iduna Park remains very much alive. Schlotterbeck has continued to vocalise his side’s ambitions, having declared after their most recent victory: “We want to lead the way and we want to go after the teams above us.”
Nevertheless, Dortmund’s No.4 will only be able to do so to a limited extent in the immediate short term, as he will miss the upcoming home match against Mainz through suspension.
He will be back for the fixtures that follow, though, when Die Schwarzgelben travel to RB Leipzig before welcoming Bayern, and will no doubt seek to keep the fire burning beneath his side’s title charge in those potentially season-defining fixtures.
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