As Arsenal’s much-heralded, and much-needed, 14th consecutive Champions League appearance got under way on Tuesday, their opponents demonstrated what canny management combined with youth and foresight can achieve.
Borussia Dortmund put up a stern fight against the Gunners, gaining a 1-1 draw, despite having an average age of just 22. A credible result for one team, just not the one who were playing in their home stadium in north-western Germany. Die Schwarzgelben (‘The Black Yellows’) are the defending champions of Germany and currently providing many high-quality players to compliment compatriots Mesut Ozil, Bastian Schweinsteiger and Philipp Lahm. Jurgen Klopp, Dortmund’s manager, recently labelled it an “extraordinary project”. He’s not wrong.
Although Arsenal were undone by an edge-of-the-area screamer from Croatian wunderkind Ivan Perišic, the stats speak for themselves; Arsenal were outplayed. 8 attempts to Dortmund’s 17 (with 6 and 10 of those on target, respectively), 4 corners to Dortmund’s 6, in addition to the fact that the Germans had the lion’s share of possession with 52%. Whilst it’s not an 8-2 thrashing, it could have been.
Gooners shouldn’t be disappointed though: they were against a team oozing with joie de vivre, a side brimming with the sprightly enthusiasm that Wenger would go to extreme lengths to imbue, apparently even selling his best players to achieve it.
Even so, Arsenal, despite being in a transitional phase, should take heed from this result and not be too disheartened. It’s often forgotten that Borussia Dortmund, similarly to Olympique Marseille, Red Star Belgrade and Aston Villa, were once the vanquishers of Europe, as they conquered the Champions League in the 1996-97 season. Overcoming Juventus 3-0, a team containing the likes of Lars Ricken, Karl-Heinz Riedle and current Norwich manager Paul Lambert (who man-marked Zinedine Zidane out of the game) were immortalised in German folklore, stealing the limelight – temporarily, albeit – from fellow Bundesliga powerhouse, Bayern Munich.
The glory didn’t last. Poor money management and a downturn of fortunes saw the sale of many of their star players, as well as being forced to sell their stadium, Westfalenstadion (now leased back, and under the futuristic sounding name of Signal Iduna Park). This decline continued into the 21st century, with Dortmund only qualifying once for the Champions League since that victory, and that was an acrimonious penalty shoot-out defeat to Club Brugge in the 2002-03 qualifying rounds.
But now, things are different. Times are changing. The supporters are passionate and vehemently urging their young team on to success (a little known, pub quiz trivia fact is that Dortmund have the second highest average attendance in Europe, second only to Barcelona). On the back of storming to their league victory last season, this group of players demonstrates class and potential at every opportunity.
A core group of Germans, recruited from neighbouring towns, is led by the prodigious Mario Götze. At only 19, the attacking midfielder has already been capped nine times, yielding two goals, including one against Brazil, which saw him match the record of youngest post-war German goalscorer.
Their defence includes the mammoth Serb, Neven Subotic, who has, inevitably, been likened to compatriot Nemanja Vidic for his never-say-die attitude and infallible commitment to victory. His partner at the back, Mats Hummels, is looking like a shoo-in to start for newly-qualified Germany when Die Mannschaft make their assault on next year’s European Championships. Japanese live-wire Shinji Kagawa (who was linked with a summer move to the Premier League) scores the goals whilst winger, and captain of the Polish national team, Jakub Blaszczykowski provides the assists. Semi-veteran Sebastian Kehl occupies the defensive midfield position, shoring up the defence and being the steady head throughout. When he’s injured, as he has often been, 22-year-old Sven Bender happily and comfortably slots in, looking and playing a lot older than his years.
So, whilst Arsenal’s season is looking uncertain, although a blizzard of transfer activity may yet recue it, Borussia Dortmund are looking promising. Maybe not with the ability to repeat the heroics of 1997, but they will certainly have a go.
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If dortmund was extraordinary, they should have won that match but since they didn’t win, its a????? big loss for them drawing @ their home.
Good observation. The point I was indicating was that they should’ve won and so, ergo, Arsenal can be content with a draw, especially in front of such a large, baying crowd. With Marseille and Olympiakos completing this group’s quartet, Dortmund, if they are to realise their potential, can’t afford to drop more points at home.