Dortmund Faces Challenging Season as Bundesliga Struggles Continue
Dortmund, Germany – Borussia Dortmund, one of Germany’s most celebrated football clubs, is enduring a turbulent 2024-2025 Bundesliga campaign, with the team languishing in 10th place on 25 points after a string of disappointing results. This downturn comes on the heels of last season’s remarkable run to the UEFA Champions League final, where Dortmund overcame Paris Saint-Germain in the semifinals before falling to Real Madrid at Wembley.
The current season has been marred by inconsistency and a worrying start to 2025. Dortmund opened the year with three consecutive Bundesliga defeats, a feat not seen since the 2017-18 season under Peter Bosz. The team’s performance has been particularly poor away from home, with only five points collected on the road, their worst away record in a decade. Despite some positive moments, such as a 7-1 victory over Celtic in Europe and a 2-1 win against RB Leipzig, Dortmund has failed to secure back-to-back league victories all season.
Coaching instability has compounded the crisis. Nuri Şahin, appointed last summer after Edin Terzić’s departure, was dismissed in January after just 18 matches, having secured only 25 points—the club’s lowest tally at this stage in ten years. Şahin’s replacement, Niko Kovac, was brought in as a short-term solution but has yet to reverse the team’s fortunes in the Bundesliga, even as he guided Dortmund past Sporting and Lille in European competition.
Criticism has been directed at the coaching staff for a lack of clear strategy and delayed tactical decisions, while off-field tensions within club management have been described as “toxic.” CEO Lars Ricken underscored the gravity of the situation, warning that failure to qualify for the Champions League would be a significant image loss and financial setback for the club, which has relied on Champions League revenues to maintain a competitive squad.
Despite the men’s struggles, Dortmund’s women’s team continues to excel, maintaining an unbeaten record this season with a staggering +115 goal difference as they push for promotion to the Frauen Bundesliga.
Off the pitch, the club has invested in a major renovation of its training ground gym, introducing a modern design aimed at boosting player morale. Looking ahead, Dortmund is preparing for their DFB-Pokal first-round match against Rot-Weiss Essen, scheduled between August 15-18, and will carry over their 2024-2025 third kit, featuring a red Vodafone logo, into the next season.
With six rounds remaining in the league, Dortmund faces mounting pressure to salvage their season and secure a European spot. Club leadership has called for a renewed winner mentality and consistency, as the club’s reputation and financial stability hang in the balance.