Borussia Dortmund is going through one of the most sensitive moments of its recent life. The 2-1 defeat at Bologna, a comeback defeat at the Renato Dall'Ara Stadium in the course of the seventh round of the Champions League, aside from furthering their losing streak also cost head coach Nuri Sahin his job. The club, now sitting in 13th place with 12 points, is facing a storm that puts its season at risk and demands an immediate response to avoid even greater damage.
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Defeat and Champions League elimination
The scoreline in Bologna reflects more than just the numbers of a match: it symbolizes the disconnection of a team that seems to have lost its confidence. Guirassy even opened the scoring for the Germans in the 15th minute, coolly converting a penalty. However, the early dominance was not translated into control of the game. In the second half, Bologna turned the score around with Dallinga and Illing-Junior, exploiting tactical flaws and the defensive apathy of Dortmund. It was the kind of game where every mistake seemed to weigh twice as much, while the Italian team grew stronger on the field.
The defeat was Borussia Dortmund’s fourth consecutive loss in all competitions, a statistic that alone illustrates the crisis. Beyond the results, the performance on the field is troubling. The team lacks organization, intensity, and, above all, leadership.
The end of the road for Nuri Sahin
Nuri Sahin, an icon of Borussia Dortmund as a player, was unable to replicate the same success as a head coach. Hired in 2022 as an assistant to Edin Terzic, Sahin took over after the departure of his mentor, who led the team to the Champions League final against Real Madrid. At the time, the board’s decision to promote Sahin seemed natural, as he was someone who deeply understood the club's philosophy. However, the results made it clear that the planning did not work out.
The statements from sporting director Lars Ricken after Sahin's dismissal highlight the weight of the situation.
"We greatly value Nuri Sahin and his work and had hoped for a long-term collaboration. [...] But after four consecutive losses and just one win in the last nine games, [...] unfortunately, we lost faith in being able to achieve our goals with the current staff," Ricken said.
Sahin is leaving a record of only one victory from nine games. Even in the poor run, the coach has shown a sporting attitude and not shifted the blame and shown respect to the institution. However, when results are disappointing and pressure is mounting, the patience of the club became too weak.
Inconsistent campaign in the Bundesliga
The poor form in the Champions League is not an isolated case. In the Bundesliga, Borussia Dortmund sits in 10th place, far from the leaders and, even more worrying, away from European qualification spots. A team accustomed to fighting at the top of the table now languishes in a mid-table position, accumulating uninspired performances and recurring mistakes in decisive games.
This combination of below-average performance in domestic and international competitions was decisive in Sahin’s dismissal. The club needed a change to try to turn things around before the season became irretrievable.
The next step?
Now that Sahin is out, Borussia Dortmund starts looking for the future. Erik ten Hag, German dailies are writing, should be Borussia's top man for the post, following his tremendous stint in Dutch outfit Ajax. Here, the coach developed a very competitive side of players which fought up to semifinals in Champions League. After Ajax, the more recent and hectic time under ten Hag's belt has been his stay at Manchester United.
Borussia Dortmund urgently needs restructuring, both on and off the field. Time is short, but there is still room for recovery. The Champions League remains a tangible goal, and a solid Bundesliga campaign could salvage the season. However, to achieve this, the club will need to quickly correct its mistakes.