BVB can “lose everything”: Dortmund spoiled the first CL match

Tuesday 20 October 2020

At Borussia Dortmund, Ciro Immobile is not happy, but with Lazio Roma the striker makes his ex-club unhappy. BVB’s Champions League start fails due to devastating defenses on defense. And because this property shows why the Bundesliga team brought it back then.

Ice cold revenge: Former transfer failure Ciro Immobile painfully affected Borussia Dortmund in the nightmare start to the Champions League with a five-year delay. Lazio forward Rom, who failed at BVB, scored the first goal in the first match at 1: 3 (0: 2) for Dortmund, set up the third and terrified the extremely weak defense. BVB is last in Group F and is already under great pressure.

“We slept through the first half, we weren’t tight either. We missed everything,” frustrated captain Marco Reus said on Sky. “That was just bad. That is not our claim.” Head of licensed players Sebastian Kehl added: “You can’t even come close to introducing yourself like this.”

Immobile (6th), a three-time Serie A top scorer and indispensable for Lazio, took advantage of a fatal defensive error early on. Then Luiz Felipe won the head duel against Lukasz Piszczek after a corner kick, BVB goalkeeper Marwin Hitz followed with his right hand (23); it was difficult to see that as an own goal. Erling Haaland (71.) made the connection, Jean-Daniel Akpa-Akpro (76.) made the final score. Dortmund’s defense was a torso.

The “slight problem” that coach Lucien Favre had described as euphemistic in the face of suspensions, illnesses and injuries, was at least somewhat alleviated with Piszczek’s return to the right. In addition to Mats Hummels, Thomas Delaney again assisted in the sacred chain of three. There may also be a change of goalkeeper at BVB. Between positions, such as in the Cup and more recently in the Hitz League, Roman Bürki sat on the bench. Favre declined to comment on this on Sky.

Dortmund can’t find their way to goal

In front of 1000 spectators, neither Hitz nor Delaney, who intervened too late, were able to avoid the deficit early, mainly thanks to Immobile, who put the ball into the goal from seven meters after a poor pass from Thomas Meunier. Immobile 2014/15 had played a season with very moderate success for Dortmund. He felt ignored by his colleagues.

When they met, he obviously had a strong desire to return the favor. Even after his fifth goal in the Champions League (the first four went to Dortmund), the 30-year-old started again and again in the deep: once Hitz stopped (14th), Piszczek blocked in a desperate situation (15 °), at the latest. Luiz Felipe (36º). BVB made strong opponents, who were weakening in the league, and they had enormous offensive difficulties to overcome the Lazio chains. Meunier should have scored the next goal after a good presentation from Haaland (29th).

Favre spoke enthusiastically to his team in the cockpit aisle during halftime, Gio Reyna replaced Champions League rookie Jude Bellingham. That brought a bit more momentum: Haaland missed goalkeeper Thomas Strakosha (50th) with a low shot. However, Dortmund often lost the ball too quickly, ideas were lacking, Lazio were skillful and didn’t have to do much. Very little pressure was put on the technically strong midfield of the Romans.

Dortmund’s first pressure phase led to the connecting goal, but five minutes later it was 1: 3. For BVB, things are going in rapid succession. On Saturday (6.30 pm / Sky and on the live ticker on ntv.de.) FC Schalke 04 reaches the Revierderby Bundesliga, four days later Zenit St. Petersburg is invited to the Champions League.