Dortmund Lacking Leadership Costing Them Success

As the UEFA Champions League finalists from last year prepare to face one of the best-performing clubs in Europe at the moment, FC Barcelona, fans with Borussia Dortmund tickets are worried that their side lacks leadership.

For years, Marco Reus stood as the authoritative figure who guided the club through the seasons—all while the players around him left for more lucrative deals. 

Reus was phenomenal for the club, on and off the pitch in his several seasons.  But now, it looks like there is a massive struggle. 

Dortmund’s Leadership Struggle 

The once-mighty Borussia Dortmund is grappling with a significant leadership vacuum, leading to a frustrating season marked by inconsistent performances and dwindling morale. As reports emerge about a lack of genuine leadership within the squad, current and potential leaders fail to inspire confidence among fans and coaches alike.

Among the notable names is Niklas Süle, a 49-time German international, who, according to Sport Bild, reacted with relief rather than disappointment upon being excluded from the team council ahead of the current season. 

Instead of striving to bolster his role within the squad, it seems Süle is more focused on personal challenges rather than team leadership. Sport.de reported that Süle’s reaction indicates a lack of desire to push the team forward and provide the sorely needed structure.

Adding to Dortmund’s woes, players traditionally seen as potential leaders grapple with their form. Marcel Sabitzer is portrayed as a loner, lacking the charisma to rally his teammates, while Julian Brandt struggles with performance levels after a season plagued by inconsistency.

Established goalkeeper Gregor Kobel previously expressed confidence, but under coach Nuri Sahin, he has appeared increasingly insecure, failing to assert himself as a team leader. Sahin’s tactical directives have reportedly added to his instability, complicating Dortmund’s position on and off the pitch.

Emre Can, the current team captain, has also come under fire. His promotion to captain was initially met with scepticism, especially after a poor season where many fans with Borussia Dortmund tickets anticipated a leadership change. 

Despite being urged by insiders to reconsider his captaincy before the season commenced, Sahin decided to keep Can in charge to avoid a public uproar. Nevertheless, Can’s recent performances as a centre-back have alighted some hope within the club, even while questions linger about his ability to handle the pressures of leadership consistently.

Despite these recent attempts at leadership, the overall sentiment around Can points to a broader issue. He has another rough patch in his history, with fans and analysts insistent that while his recent displays show promise, one should not overly rely on his consistency. 

The ongoing assessments of Can echo a sentiment that the captaincy may need to change hands sooner rather than later if the team is to find its footing again.

Further complicating matters, players like Brandt and Süle are being rumoured as possible summer transfer candidates. Each has come under scrutiny for their lack of impact on the field and their inability to step up as decisive figures for a squad in need of guidance. This looming potential exodus underscores the growing tension within the team and the uncertainty surrounding its future direction.

Within this fraught environment, Nico Schlotterbeck emerges as the potential future leader. 

Despite his proven abilities, he, too, is acknowledged to lack the experience necessary for a captaincy role at this point in his career. 

Should 25-year-old Schlotterbeck take the reins, questions about his readiness linger, presenting yet another obstacle for the beleaguered side.

The current state of Borussia Dortmund illustrates a team at a crossroads. Injury setbacks, fluctuations in performance, and the absence of a unifying leader have resulted in a disjointed squad. 

With no visible fix in sight, all those with Borussia Dortmund tickets will be watching closely to see if this disarray can be transformed into a successful turnaround or whether the club will undertake a significant personnel overhaul come the summer transfer window.

As the season unfolds, the ball is firmly in Dortmund’s court. 

They must decide whether to double down on their current roster and seek to cultivate leadership within or to explore the market for new blood capable of leading them forward. 

With critical decisions to make in the coming months, reclaiming their status as contenders begins with recognizing and addressing their leadership deficiencies.

Key Injuries Ahead of Barca Fixture 

The Catalans have received a major boost with just weeks remaining before Barcelona take on Borussia Dortmund in the first leg of the UEFA Champions League quarterfinals.

That is because Dortmund’s first-team star Marcel Sabitzer has picked up a fresh injury which may rule him out of the Barcelona clash.

As reported, Sabitzer has picked up a knee injury and will be out for six weeks. Such an injury means Sabitzer could miss both legs against Barcelona, which could be a major blow for Dortmund.

With 36 appearances in all competitions, Sabitzer is one of Dortmund’s most important midfielders.

The former RB Leipzig star offers aggression and versatility in the middle of the park. He also has the knack for always showing up in crunch matches.

Sabitzer’s tactical flexibility and expertise in the second line of the press could have made him an ideal weapon against Barcelona’s midfield.

To make things worse for Dortmund, the team lacks a proper alternative for Sabitzer.

While Pascal Gross can always offer creativity in the middle of the park, he lacks the flexibility and dynamism that Sabitzer provides. The former Ingolstadt midfielder has also been quite hit-and-miss this season.

Even Julian Brandt has been far from consistent, meaning Dortmund could certainly rue the absence of someone like Sabitzer, who can easily break up play and initiate counter-attacks.

Sabitzer was not the only threat Barcelona had to worry about. The club must also be mindful of other star players, including Dortmund number nine Serhou Guirassy, who closely follows Barcelona matches.

Fans with Borussia Dortmund tickets will anxiously watch the international break, closely observing their players to ensure that they don’t lose any more before the crucial clash. 

They will also wait for official word on Sabitzer’s recovery plan.