In the three-way fight for the third and fourth qualifying places for the next Champions League (the first two seemingly promised to Bayer Leverkusen and Bayern Munich), it is ultimately Stuttgart, author of a draw at home against Cologne, who performs the correct operation.
Because this weekend, RB Leipzig lost in added time on the pitch of Bayern Munich (2-1) and Dortmund, led by the score (1-0) after two minutes, then went back in front (2-1 ), finally offered the three points to Hoffenheim on a platter.
Edin Terzic’s men were heavily whistled at the end of the match for their first defeat in 2024 in the Bundesliga, but they then received encouragement when they went towards the ultras of the Yellow Wall. With 47 points, Stuttgart is six points ahead of Borussia (41) and seven over Leipzig (40), all eleven days before the end of the season.
Dortmund got off to the worst possible start in this meeting. On a short restart, Emre Can’s pass to Nico Schlotterbeck in the center of the defense lacked power and Ihlas Bebou did not tremble to open the scoring. In the space of four minutes between the 21st and 25th, on two perfectly played set pieces by Julian Brandt and Marco Reus, Donyell Malen and Schlotterbeck put the Yellows and Blacks back in control of the match.
In slow motion before the winter break (7 points out of 24 possible), Borussia fell back into trouble with two new turnovers which Hoffenheim immediately converted into goals thanks to a double from Maximilian Beier (61st and 64th minutes). “Already in the first period we found ourselves in difficulty on counterattacks. Today, it’s totally our fault for letting the opponent come back into the game,” lamented Terzic, speaking to broadcaster DAZN.
In the last ten minutes, Dortmund tried everything to equalize. Marcel Sabitzer’s shot was blocked with his hand by Florian Grillitsch, but the match referee did not use VAR. And in added time, Can found himself all alone 7 meters from goal but did not get his header on target.
