Chaos in all areas: why Borussia Dortmund is performing terribly this season
Luis Torres
Dailysports's expert
Back in May, Borussia Dortmund played in the Champions League final, where they lost to Real Madrid (0:2). It seemed that this success would become a turning point and help the club return to the ranks of Europe's strongest. But everything turned out quite differently. After the first half of the Bundesliga season, the "Bumblebees" are in tenth place, trailing [by 5 points from the top 4] and by a staggering 17 points from first place.
Dailysports analyzed the reasons behind Borussia Dortmund's disastrous start.
The bet on Nuri Şahin did not pay off
In the summer, Borussia Dortmund unexpectedly dismissed Edin Terzić, who had led the team to the Champions League final. However, the reasons for his departure were clear: a fifth-place finish in the Bundesliga, inconsistent play, and a disastrous end to the 2022/23 Bundesliga season, when the team lost the championship on the final day.
But the choice of his replacement raised doubts from the outset. Nuri Şahin is an absolute legend at Borussia Dortmund, but no one knew if he would succeed as a coach. In January of last year, Şahin became Terzić's assistant, and the team's play significantly improved afterward. The club decided to give Şahin, who had previously coached only Antalyaspor in his homeland, a chance.
The season started well, but it soon became clear that Şahin was simply not up to the task. The Turkish coach's main problem is predictability. He implements ultra-attacking football, but when the team needs to play defensively, issues arise.
This was glaringly evident in the first match of 2025 against Bayer. Borussia Dortmund faced a severe defensive crisis, as almost all central defenders were unavailable for various reasons.
But it seemed as though the Dortmund coaching staff hadn't even thought about how to deal with the situation. Before the game, Şahin promised his team would not abandon its style and would go all-in. He kept his word—Borussia Dortmund fielded four forwards, with no holding midfielder, and conceded the first goal just 26 seconds in, letting in three goals in 19 minutes.
In a game where caution was paramount, Borussia Dortmund played recklessly and stood no chance of success.
Their inability to adopt a defensive strategy has meant Borussia Dortmund has won only one away match in this Bundesliga season.
The second major issue for Şahin's team is their poor play off the ball, especially pressing in the opponent's half, which often fails due to a lack of compactness. This was perfectly demonstrated in their recent humiliating 2:4 loss to modest Holstein Kiel.
Şahin's most significant failure this season, however, came during their trip to the Santiago Bernabéu. Borussia Dortmund led Real Madrid 2:0 in the first half but inexplicably replaced forward Jamie Bynoe-Gittens with center-back Anton in the 55th minute. Immediately after this substitution, Dortmund conceded their first goal and eventually lost 2:5. It's hard to understand why Şahin disrupted a game plan that was working well.
Overall, the coaching issue has been a recurring problem for Dortmund every year since Thomas Tuchel's departure. None of the managers appointed since have lived up to expectations.
The Bayern complex: Borussia Dortmund's failed summer transfer campaign
Bayern is often criticized for poaching the best players from their competitors. In the past, they have signed stars like Robert Lewandowski, Mario Götze, and Leon Goretzka. However, in recent years, Bayern has moved away from this policy. Dortmund, however, has clumsily tried to replicate it.
Last season's surprise Bundesliga runners-up, Stuttgart, saw two of their players move to Dortmund in the summer: striker Serhou Guirassy and central defender Waldemar Anton. But neither has matched their previous season's level.
Guirassy has scored only 7 goals in 14 Bundesliga matches this season, compared to 28 goals in the entire previous season. Anton, meanwhile, has started just 13 matches in all competitions and has been underwhelming, especially compared to Mats Hummels, whom he replaced.
Dortmund also signed Maximilian Beier from Hoffenheim, who scored 16 goals last season. But this appears to be a transfer for the sake of it, as the coaching staff has struggled to find a role for Beier. Guirassy occupies the center-forward spot, while Beier feels less comfortable on the wing. So far, he has scored just 3 Bundesliga goals.
These are not isolated examples. Borussia Dortmund has a history of signing players from rivals after a single standout season. This happened with Christian Schulz from Hoffenheim, who turned out to be one of the club's worst signings. Similarly, Thorgan Hazard, Ramy Bensebaini, and Mahmoud Dahoud, who joined from Borussia Mönchengladbach, failed to meet expectations.
While trying to emulate Bayern's transfer strategy, Dortmund has failed miserably. They are far more successful at scouting young talent abroad and developing them in the first team, as seen with Jamie Bynoe-Gittens, the team's best player this season, and previously with Jadon Sancho and Jude Bellingham.
The club's squad-building approach also raises questions. Dortmund has only one natural left-back, Bensebaini, who is inconsistent and injury-prone. As a result, the team has had to rely on makeshift options like Jan Couto or Julian Ryerson. The central defense is similarly thin, with just three center-backs—Anton, Schlotterbeck, and Süle—and no real backups. Despite this, the club has yet to strengthen the defense this winter.
Injury crisis
Injuries are not new to Borussia Dortmund, but this season has been particularly bad. Midway through the first half of the season, 11 players were simultaneously sidelined. It was a disaster.
The season could have been very different if, for example, Karim Adeyemi hadn't picked up an unnecessary injury during a Champions League match against Celtic, sidelining him for three months. This happened in a game where Adeyemi scored a first-half hat-trick.
Most injuries are non-contact muscle issues, raising questions about the coaching staff and physiotherapists.
Despite this, the club is considering signing Oleksandr Zinchenko, a player plagued by recurring injuries, as their new left-back this winter.
Chaos in club management
Midway through last season, it was announced that legendary CEO Hans-Joachim Watzke would step down in summer 2025. With only a few months until his departure, there is still no clarity on his successor.
Sebastian Kehl, currently the sporting director, is rumored to take over. However, Kehl's decisions in his current role have been largely disappointing.
The uncertainty surrounding Dortmund's future management complicates winter transfer negotiations. Most players are only willing to agree to short-term loans, as they are reluctant to commit to a club in flux.
What’s next?
Borussia Dortmund faces a tough away game against Frankfurt, and a third consecutive loss could result in Şahin's dismissal.
Possible replacements mentioned in the media include Erik ten Hag, Roger Schmidt, and Sandro Wagner. However, without improvements in recruitment and management stability, significant progress remains unlikely.
