The two prominent German clubs from the previous season are currently on divergent paths as the pressure intensifies in both the Bundesliga and the Champions League.
With ten consecutive victories across all competitions, Xabi Alonso’s Leverkusen—last season's domestic league champions—has successfully applied pressure on Bayern Munich in the Bundesliga and currently occupies the fourth position in the 36-team Champions League standings.
Although this streak does not match last season's impressive 51-game unbeaten run and Leverkusen still trails Bayern by four points, it reinforces Alonso's status as one of the most sought-after coaches in global soccer, especially with Leverkusen set to face Borussia Moenchengladbach in the Bundesliga on Saturday.
Dortmund's Struggles
In stark contrast, Nuri Sahin, who leads last year's Champions League finalists Dortmund, is facing significant challenges. His team has managed only one victory in their last seven matches since November, culminating in a disappointing 4-2 defeat to relegation-threatened Holstein Kiel on Tuesday.
Sahin described the performance as “shameful” and accepted full responsibility as the head coach. Currently sitting in 10th place, Dortmund is still just five points away from the Champions League qualifying spots.
The upcoming match against Eintracht Frankfurt on Friday could be crucial for any potential turnaround.
The club has indicated that Sahin's position is not in jeopardy. He has navigated difficult periods during his seven-month tenure, and there is no clear successor in sight.
Dismissal could also lead to scrutiny regarding the management's choice to appoint Sahin, given his relative lack of experience, and how they managed the transition from his predecessor, Edin Terzic, who resigned after guiding the team to the Champions League final in June.
Adapting to Succeed
Leverkusen's recent 3-2 victory over Dortmund highlighted the contrasting ways in which the two teams have responded to challenges.
Leverkusen has been without their primary striker, Victor Boniface, due to a hamstring injury sustained in November. However, Patrik Schick has risen to the occasion in his absence, netting 11 goals over the past two months to keep the team competitive. In Leverkusen's recent 1-0 victory against Mainz, the unexpected highlight was a goal from Alejandro Grimaldo's free kick, rather than from Schick.
On the other hand, Dortmund is exhibiting a concerning pattern of losing focus for prolonged periods. Despite several players being sidelined due to illness, allowing three goals to Leverkusen within the first 19 minutes was particularly troubling, especially given that Dortmund maintained over 80% possession during that stretch. Additionally, conceding three goals to Kiel in a 20-minute span marked another disappointing moment.
Bayern, meanwhile, is set to face Wolfsburg on Saturday and has yet to allow a goal in 2025. The atmosphere in Munich remains stable despite various distractions, as speculation grows regarding the futures of several players with contracts nearing expiration, including Leroy Sané, who scored twice in Bayern's 5-0 rout of Hoffenheim on Wednesday.