After the DFB Pokal exit against Bremen and a 3-4 loss away to Bayer Leverkusen in the Bundesliga, Borussia Dortmund bounced back with a 4-0 win against Eintracht Frankfurt on Friday night.
Notably, Dortmund’s famously leaky defence shut the Eagles out at the Westfalenstadion, only allowing one shot and none on Roman Bürki’s goal. Centre-back Mats Hummels was satisfied with the improved defensive showing.
“It was very important that we allowed few chances and kept a clean sheet again,” He told DAZN after the game, adding: “We were focused and engaged in all positions today. This wasn’t a clean-sheet-performance by the defence but by the entire team. In general, there were many positives today.”
BVB coach Lucien Favre dropped the error-prone Manuel Akanji from the starting XI for Lukasz Piszczek in the back-three. The Pole repaid the call-up with a solid defensive performance and the 1-0, which he scored with his left foot in the 33. minute.
Emre Can, who made his home debut, and Thorgan Hazard replaced the injured Julian Brandt and Marco Reus in midfield. Despite the lack of attacking quality due to absent two star players, BVB still managed to bludgeon the Eintracht, equalling a Bundesliga record: since Bayern Munich in 1973-74 and Hamburger SV in 1981-82, Dortmund are the first team to score 63 goals after 22 matchdays.
Friday’s performance should give the team a boost ahead of Tuesday’s home leg in the round of 16 of the UEFA Champions League against Paris Saint-Germain.
“With this level of focus with and without the ball and with the same amount of activity, we will have a very good chance — also with the fans having our back. If we can deliver all that on the pitch, then we’ll have a very good chance. PSG certainly know what’s expecting them — or what could expect them, to state it correctly,” 2014’s World Champion said ahead of the clash with Thomas Tuchel’s team, adding that BVB will try to take a more cautious approach on the European stage: “Given our quality, we don’t have to risk too much. We always need to be aware that we will always create chances — except maybe in Munich.”
