Sébastien Haller: First chemotherapy, then a key player for BVB

Although the sun was already low over the Augsburg stadium, it illuminated the action with the appropriate clarity: the Borussia Dortmund team were vastly superior to their opponents, but failed to score a goal. BVB missed several excellent opportunities, the damned opening goal just didn’t want to come against FC Augsburg. The victory was necessary to ban the ailing Bayern from the top of the table and to aim for the almost unbelievable: winning the German soccer championship after ten years of Bayern dominance.

What then happened crowned the most extraordinary story the Bundesliga has to offer this season. In the 58th minute, center forward Sébastien Haller broke the spell and, following a cross from Donyell Malen, used a mistake by Augsburg defender Maximilian Bauer to score the opening goal. It was a liberation for the BVB pros who had struggled unsuccessfully until then. It was also Haller who followed up in the 84th minute and finally brought the well-deserved 3-0 win (Julian Brandt also scored) on the way. Now Dortmund are missing a win in the last game against Mainz 05 and they are champions.

Edin Terzic speaks of a “miracle”

With a view to his center forward, coach Edin Terzic quickly declared what was happening on the pitch to be a “miracle”: “No matter what happens next week, the biggest miracle is that Seb is with us again this season. He’s a pure miracle,” said the coach about the French on Sunday. “We hope that he will be the hero of the season. We are incredibly proud. We missed the man Sébastien Haller, with this will and this positive energy. We suffered with him and without him,” said Terzic.

Terzic’s emotional words are more than understandable: as recently as November last, Haller greeted him with a picture on Instagram from the hospital that showed him surrounded by doctors and nurses. After moving to BVB in the summer, the French-Ivorian footballer was diagnosed with testicular cancer. Surgery and chemotherapy followed. When hopes arose in November that Haller could soon return to the team, there was the next setback. A second operation was necessary, so Haller once again sent greetings from the hospital. BVB tweeted: “We wish you continued strength, Seb! Stay strong!”

What followed is certainly one of the greatest comebacks that German football has ever seen. Haller completed the first performance tests and said in a statement: “Hello guys, I’m finally back. It wasn’t that easy, but with your support it went better and was easier to do.” He is now looking ahead and looking forward to seeing the fans back in the stadium “for some wins”. Before going back to the stadium, Haller traveled with the team to the training camp in Marbella.

Sébastien Haller shows how important he is

On January 10, Haller made his first appearance in a BVB jersey in a friendly against Fortuna Düsseldorf, and in early February he scored his first Bundesliga goal for Dortmund in a 5-1 win over SC Freiburg. It’s a goal that the entire team celebrated with euphoria. Of course, Haller wasn’t 100% fit at the time, but physically he had apparently coped well with the tough chemotherapy. Since then he has played regularly, most recently in Augsburg for the first time again over 90 minutes. Since the 25th matchday he has scored eight goals alone, no one in the Bundesliga has scored more in this time. He also provided five assists. The two goals against Augsburg were perhaps the most important.

The comeback is very lucky for BVB. Haller was brought in in the summer to succeed wonder striker Erling Haaland and is gradually filling the role. With his qualities as an intelligent goal scorer, the 28-year-old is essential for the Dortmund game. The goals in Augsburg finally proved that. Everyone at BVB underscores the fact that Haller helps the Dortmund team on a personal and sporting level. Keeper Gregor Kobel put it this way: “He is an outstanding person and an outstanding player.” Perhaps Haller is a decisive factor on the way to the championship. There is a lot to be said for it.

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