With the door left wide open, Borussia Dortmund clinched a vital away win to regain top spot and leave a first Bundesliga title in 11 years within their own hands.
Though their opponents Augsburg are still threatened by relegation, victory was by no means assured with Edin Terzic’s team having failed to win away from home in all competitions since February.
Despite being in scintillating form in the league in 2023, winning 11 of their 15 matches prior to the penultimate matchday, damaging consecutive away draws in the league against VfB Stuttgart and VfL Bochum in April saw them give way to serial champions Bayern Munich.
But, when it mattered most, following the Bavarians’ 3-1 loss on Saturday, The Black and Yellows soaked up the pressure and came away with the possibly the most important three points of their season.
Borussia Dortmund accept Bayern gift
As the only league in Europe’s top-five still to be decided, the drama ratcheted up another level over a chaotic 24 hours in Bavaria.
Since April, Bayern and Dortmund have traded blows with neither side seemingly willing to take charge of the title race.
The champions’ loss against Mainz was followed by Borussia Dortmund sweeping aside Eintracht Frankurt yet just six days later a draw against Bochum allowed Bayern move back into first position after defeating Hertha Berlin.
Questions were raised if Dortmund had the ability to hold their nerve and handle the pressure of chasing a first league title since 2012 under Jürgen Klopp. When the team was once again given a golden chance to leapfrog their title-chasing rivals, could they finally accept the gift?
“Everyone knew that we had a great chance and that we’d wasted a few chances in the past,” Sebastien Haller admitted to DAZN after the match. “So we tried to stick together, to speak a lot between each other, to be sure that we will stick to our principles, to stay positive, to stay patient.”
“Today is the best example that it worked. We have invested a lot in this and now we have a huge chance to achieve something big.”
‘Miracle’ man Sebastien Haller
In Terzic’s mind, he is in no doubt about who has been the biggest and most influential difference to Dortmund’s season.
Haller became the side’s record signing in the summer with the specific job to fill the hole at number 9 and simply to score goals.
After the Ivorian’s testicular cancer diagnosis, there was uncertainty over what might be possible for the 28-year-old on the pitch this season.
“For me it is the biggest miracle that we see this season to have him back,” Borussia Dortmund head coach Terzic told the post-match press conference.
“It was a tough challenge because nobody had any experience with such a story, fighting cancer and then coming back having gone through chemotherapy.”
“We had to speak every day and even just last week we tried to test Seb’s performance and other things inside his body.”
“When he came back we didn’t know how he was going to react from being exhausted after games.”
Haller’s impact on teammates key
Finding a way to manage Haller’s introduction into the team was not the only challenge coaching team faced alongside their striker.
Adapting their new signing’s mindset to work with the changes within his body, with his speed one key difference noticed by player and backroom staff, was key.
Both of Haller’s goals against Augsburg, a strike cannoning in off the post and a tap-in following in a shot from Marco Reus, came from ideal positioning in a key moment from the forward.
And having worked tirelessly in training to adjust Haller “to think quicker in his head” as his legs were no longer as fast, his impact not just in front of goal but on his teammates pleased Terzic the most.
“He’s the player not only showing his importance by being on the scoresheet but he’s making the others shine.”
“If you see the form of Donyell Malen and Karim Adeyemi, it’s all linked to Seb because he’s the one that gains us seconds.”
“Donny and Karim with their pace they win us meters but he’s the one who gives us seconds and that’s really important for us.”
A fairytale ending within touching distance
“BVB, German champions!” That was the cry from most jubilant Borussia Dortmund fans as they streamed out of the Augsburg Arena.
Still, one supporter took the time to pierce the celebration with a dose of realism, chiming in with: “Wait, next week 0-0, definitely!”
The enormity of the occasion, in Terzic – who once was a part of the Yellow Wall — becoming the first head coach since Klopp to lift the title is not lost. But the head coach is placing his faith in his miracle man.
“Haller’s not done yet,” Terzic said with a smile. “We have 90 minutes to go and hopefully he’s going to be the deserved hero of Borussia Dortmund.”
A more fitting ending in a season of unknowns could not be written.
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