Borussia Dortmund – Bayer Leverkusen: Are you not entertained? (2-3)

An intense clash between two German heavyweights unfolded at Signal Iduna Park on Friday night, delivering a thrilling opening league match to kick off the new year. Borussia Dortmund and Bayer Leverkusen went toe-to-toe in a five-goal spectacle that went down to the wire.

Tactical analysis and match report by Fahd Ahmed.

The first match of the new year in the Bundesliga was set to be a thriller. Two of the biggest names in Germany went head-to-head at the Signal Iduna Park to provide a statement result after the winter break.

The seven-point gap between them prior to kick-off told a story. Under Nuri Şahin, Borussia Dortmund have been hot and cold every week. Although external factors like injuries have played their part in derailing Dortmund’s form, there is an underlying sentiment that time is ticking for the Turkish manager if his team does not begin gathering consistency.

On the other hand, Bayer Leverkusen are on fire. Despite a tricky start to the first half of the campaign, Xabi Alonso’s team has found its groove. After a frustrating 1-1 draw against Bochum in early November, Leverkusen turned a page and entered an impressive win streak. The eight-game run in all competitions included notable victories such as a 1-0 win against Bayern Munich in the DFB-Pokal, a 1-0 triumph over Internazionale in the Champions League, and a 5-1 thrashing of SC Freiburg in the Bundesliga.

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As a football writer, Fahd objectively explores various talking points while leaning on data analytics to provide better context. He is also currently pursuing a professional diploma in football tactical analysis with Barça Innovation Hub (Universitas). [ View all posts ]

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