The master plate is on the way to Dortmund: “It’s about time”

“Only BVB will be German champions,” chanted the fans after the 3-0 win in Augsburg – everything is set for Dortmund for the ninth German soccer championship title: A home win against Mainz on Saturday would be a masterpiece. “The city will burn,” promised goalscorer Julian Brandt.

“It’s about time,” said goalkeeper Gregor Kobel about the upcoming changing of the guard. In 2012, the champion was not called Bayern Munich for the last time – but Dortmund. The series champion is two points behind before the guest appearance in Cologne. Since the Munich team has a goal difference that is 14 goals better, they would be ahead if they had the same number of points.

The Dortmund managers are trying to keep the ball flat. “I don’t want to curb the euphoria, but we still have a game to play,” said sporting director Sebastian Kehl. The 43-year-old himself was champion three times as a player. “I know what’s going on in the boys now. I know how big the pressure from outside will be now.” The task now is to find the right balance between euphoria and concentration.

Dortmund’s Borsigplatz is preparing for a master party that no one would have thought possible in winter. “If we had prophesied in Marbella in January that we would be top of the table by two points on matchday 33, you would have said we were stupid,” said managing director Hans-Joachim Watzke with a laugh.

Haller’s special triumph

In November the gap to Bayern was nine points. Then Munich began to slip up and Dortmund put in a furious second half of the season with only one defeat so far. It would also be a special triumph for Sebastien Haller, who made his comeback in January after his testicular cancer diagnosis, including chemotherapy and two operations.

In Augsburg he was instrumental in the victory with two goals. The Ivorian team striker didn’t waste a thought about a party on Sunday: “I’m only thinking about the game against Mainz.”

The German Football League (DFL) expects Dortmund to win: the original championship trophy will be in the Dortmund stadium. The DFL announced yesterday that this is the normal procedure that results from the table.

Dortmund’s successful run also had an impact on investors: the club’s papers jumped by more than twelve percent in early trading yesterday. For the first time since November 2021, Dortmunder shares cost more than five euros.