Historians and statisticians are likely to analyse the German football season of 2023/24 with a keen eye in years to come, particularly if Borussia Dortmund emerges victorious over Real Madrid or if the Euros final goes in favour of the hosts in Berlin on July 14th.
Despite being evidently outmanoeuvred and having a line-up devoid of equivalently skilled players in comparison to their competitors, Dortmund has become a paradigm for achieving results. Their journey to tonight’s Champions League final at Wembley stadium is something the new Ireland coach should scrutinise.
It’s crucial not to overlook the accomplishments of Bayer Leverkusen. The lone defeat they suffered came last week in the Europa League final, losing 3-0 to Atalanta. This defeat was sandwiched between their inaugural Bundesliga and German Cup double wins.
The record Xabi Alonso has created at Bayer should withstand time’s test. This is comparable to the triumphant culture curated at Borussia during Jürgen Klopp’s tenure a decade ago, which is still shaping their Champions League success.
Rewinding to the era between Dortmund’s twin league achievements under Klopp and Bayer’s undefeated domestic run, Bayern Munich clinched 11 straight Bundesliga titles and a couple of European Cups, which deserves commendation.
This further amplifies the ascending significance of Leverkusen and Dortmund. Harry Kane, after moving to Munich this season, netted 36 goals until his hunt for the trophy was halted in a narrow semi-final defeat against Real Madrid.
However, it is wrong to assume that Bayern Munich fully fell apart in 2024. Kane’s triple strikes in the Der Klassiker derby against Dortmund back in November highlighted the discrepancy in the calibre of the two squads.
Still, Dortmund continues to advance, being just a game away from potentially being dubbed as the European champions, probably due to their concentration on the Champions League since November, which allowed them to secure the fifth spot in the Bundesliga and clear the way for a spot in next season’s tournament.
Mats Hummels and Marco Reus have played a significant part in their journey to the European final, reminiscent of their journey in 2013. Similar to how Luka Modric and Toni Kroos, in the last decade, have been instrumental in Madrid winning five European titles, Hummels and Reus sit at the heart of Dortmund’s triumph.
Football lately seems to be a game tailored for the aged. Players such as Modric who are aged 38, Hummels and Reus who are both 35, and Kroos who is retiring this summer at 34, are all examples. Remarkably, these experienced individuals have not been overly utilised in national-level games, an aspect that doesn’t pose much concern to Real Madrid as they have the pairing of Jude Bellingham and Eduardo Camavinga alongside Federico Valverde and Aurélien Tchouaméni.
Though all these are talents of their generation, Kroos stands out as the central pillar for Real Madrid. A quick look at the Squawka stats reveals his prowess with a 93.6% pass precision covering over 300 La Liga games. Alongside this, he has also recorded an 86% accuracy on long passes, created 632 opportunities, contributed 70 assists and scored 22 goals.
Hummels was present in all of Dortmund’s impressive outings to the Champions League finale, with Kroos falling slightly behind. Modric, on the other hand, has often been a secret weapon for Carlo Ancelotti in tricky closing games.
What exactly makes these veteran players so unique? For one, their technical mastery ranks them among the top 0.1% of world-class footballers. They must have been looking after their bodies correctly since their youth to have survived in the industry for so long.
Regarded as the premier football club, Real Madrid’s current squad under Ancelotti stands out even against the state-backed Manchester City, who are deemed the strongest in the Premier League. A significant factor contributing to this success is Ancelotti’s ability to fuse both youthful energy and veteran experience effectively.
Although Bellingham’s impressive performance has slightly plummeted since December – bear in mind he’s just 20 – Vinicius Junior has steadily risen to carry the superstar tag. Yet, this is not the only reason Real Madrid has been able to maintain their outstanding status. Their group defence and strategic coordination brought Man City to a penalty shootout.
Compared to The Galacticos Madrid squad featuring Zidane and Figo, everyone was prepared to put aside their natural playing style to achieve the desired result. Both Nacho and Antonio Rüdiger have been phenomenal as the central defenders. Nacho, at 34, is the team’s unsung hero having dedicated his entire career to Real. Albeit previously overlooked for integral games, he has now risen to captain the team.
Borussia Dortmund’s success, often juxtaposed against Real Madrid’s performance, has piqued the interest of football historians and statisticians who seek to decipher the methodology behind their success.
In the recent past, Marcel Sabitzer’s football prowess was questioned due to his unsuccessful stint at Old Trafford and lack of prominence in Bayern. However, his exceptional performance against Paris Saint Germain in the semi-finals overturned the narrative.
Their unique approach involves selecting players who seamlessly integrate with the existing system. Borussia’s course to European glory entailed besting a challenging group comprising AC Milan, Newcastle United, and PSG, followed by securing a 5-4 aggregate win against Atletico Madrid in the quarter-finals. Hummels’ tenacity helped them edge past PSG in the semi-finals, despite being outmatched. Their attack-driven offensive strategy, peculiar for a German team, ensures an exciting match but also leads to conceding goals.
The key to Brosussia’s success lies in the inspiration delivered by Head Coach Edin Terzic, a product of Dortmund’s own coaching academy. apprenticed under Klopp until shifting alliances to work with Slaven Bilić in Beşiktaş and West Ham. He eventually returned to lead the team in 2022.
Ancelotti is a rare entity in the current scenario, but Terzic’s achievement defies the ingrained belief that only high-profile names can achieve success in the Champions League.
As the 2023/24 season concludes, I’m personally vouching for Real Madrid, but it’s evident that Borussia Dortmund, similar to Bayer, has emerged victorious. The season finale awaits, after which the players will depart for the Euros, except for Hummels who Julian Nagelsmann surprisingly left out of the German squad. Allegedly, Hummels’ age was a deciding factor, an excuse that seems contradictory considering the active recruitment of Kroos. Unsurprising that this has left many baffled.