Matchday in focus: Borussia Dortmund | OneFootball

Dortmund have lost both of their games so far in 2025 but in Jamie Gittens, among others, they nevertheless have “enormous individual quality”.

Tactics

Borussia Dortmund have conceded plenty of goals of late, suffering a 3-2 defeat by Bayer Leverkusen that was followed up by a 4-2 loss against Holstein Kiel. In fact, it is the first time since the club was relegated in 1971/72 that they have let in three first-half goals in back-to-back games.

Head coach Nuri Sahin, who took over the reins in summer 2024, started Ramy Bensebaini, Nico Schlotterbeck, Emre Can and Julian Ryerson in the back four against Kiel. But with the team 3-0 down at the break, the tactician switched to a back three with two up front during the interval. That being said, the 36-year-old prefers a four-man rearguard and has started every game so far in that formation.

“It’ll be a difficult task tomorrow against a team with enormous individual quality,” said head coach Dino Toppmöller, unmoved by Dortmund’s campaign so far. Serhou Guirassy has scored 13 competitive goals in 2024/25, while Jamie Gittens is not far behind with 11. The latter even struck twice in BVB’s 2-0 home win over the Eagles at the start of the season back in August. Absentees

Eintracht will be without Aurèle Amenda, who is still working his way back to fitness after an ankle injury.

Niklas Süle will likewise miss out for Dortmund with an ankle complaint.

One to watch: Jamie Gittens

Gittens is one of Dortmund’s key players. The English youngster has been at the club since 2020, having arrived from Manchester City’s youth academy. After starting out in the U19s, the 20-year-old made his senior debut on 16 April 2022. Gittens has featured in all of Dortmund’s 17 Bundesliga assignments so far this term, starting 13 times. With seven goals and four assists in the league, plus four goals and an assist in the UEFA Champions League, he has been one of the team’s most consistent performers in 2024/25.

Jamie Gittens…

Facts and figures

Dortmund have picked up five points from their first eight Bundesliga away games this season. The 18 goals they have conceded across those matches is the club‘s highest tally since 1991/92, when they shipped 20 in their first eight road fixtures. The Eagles have started a new calendar year with two wins for the first time since 2021. They even won three on the bounce at the beginning of that year, just as they did in 1967.

Familiar faces

Nnamdi Collins, who joined Eintracht from Dortmund’s reserve team in 2023, scored his maiden Bundesliga goal in the 4-1 win over Freiburg on Tuesday.

Collins and Gittens were team-mates in BVB’s U19 side. Ansgar Knauff is also a Dortmund academy graduate and made his professional debut for the club.

Mario Götze made 219 competitive appearances for BVB, while Mo Dahoud was also previously on Dortmund’s books.