Borussia Dortmund finds itself in the midst of a severe crisis, currently sitting 10th in the Bundesliga and without a victory in 2025. The club's struggles reached a new low with three consecutive defeats against Bayer Leverkusen, Holstein Kiel, and Eintracht Frankfurt, leaving head coach Nuri Sahin's position hanging by a thread ahead of Tuesday's crucial Champions League match in Bologna.
The situation at the Westfalenstadion has become increasingly dire, with the team's away form particularly concerning - just one victory on the road all season, achieved against Wolfsburg in December. The performances have been marred by individual errors and an atmosphere of self-pity and entitlement that seems to follow the team from game to game.
Despite public support from sporting CEO Lars Ricken and sporting director Sebastian Kehl, Sahin has faced harsh criticism from various quarters. Former Germany international Mario Basler delivered a particularly scathing assessment on Sports1's Doppelpass, stating, "He has zero charisma. You can't really take him seriously."
The internal confidence in Sahin appears to be waning rapidly. Following the embarrassing 4-2 loss to bottom-placed Holstein Kiel, where Dortmund found themselves 3-0 down by halftime, Ricken's tone notably shifted. After the subsequent 2-0 defeat to Frankfurt, he offered only conditional support, telling DAZN, "Nuri will also be on the bench against Bologna, but with the clear expectation that we need victories."
Sahin's appointment itself reflects Dortmund's deep-rooted faith in its former players. A graduate of the club's academy with over 200 first-team appearances, Sahin returned as an assistant to Edin Terzic in January 2024 before being promoted to head coach on Terzic's recommendation. However, with only two years of senior coaching experience at Antalyaspor, the appointment appears to have been driven more by sentiment than substance.
The club's structural issues run deeper than the head coach. The relationship between Ricken and Kehl has been strained since Ricken's promotion to sporting CEO, a position Kehl had desired. The squad lacks balance in crucial areas, including left-back, midfield, and central defense. Once renowned for identifying and developing young talent, Dortmund's only current standout prospect appears to be English winger Jamie Gittens.
There are some positives under Sahin's tenure. The team is well-positioned in their Champions League group, and he has overseen the development of Gittens and Felix Nmecha. However, the statistics paint a grim picture - Dortmund has scored 24 fewer goals than league leaders Bayern Munich and conceded more than twice as many. Perhaps most concerning is the team's mental fragility, having lost all five away games in which they conceded first.
The current crisis at Dortmund seems to reflect a broader identity crisis. The club's decision-making appears guided more by nostalgia than pragmatism, always seeking solutions within their own history. While Sahin may not be the answer to Dortmund's problems, his struggles are symptomatic of deeper institutional challenges that extend far beyond the technical area.
