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BV Borussia Dortmund 2011/12 Season Thread

34K views 969 replies 49 participants last post by  Excalibur76  
#1 ·
All Dortmund news, scores, updates, etc. go here.

So today, Dortmund won 1-0 against Mainz in the semifinals of the German League Cup with a goal from new signing Ivan Perisic in the 46th minute. No footage of the goal so far it seems but I will keep looking.

We face Hamburg in the final tomorrow, at 20:45 CET.
 
#3 ·
German League Cup Semifinal: Mainz 0:1 Borussia Dortmund

Perisic heads Borussia into the final: A dominant BVB claim 1-0 win over Mainz

[19.07.] Borussia Dortmund have reached the final of the Liga-Total-Cup 2011. The German champions beat 1.FSV Mainz 05 1-0 (0-0) in the semi-final and will face the winners of Hamburger SV versus Bayern Munich. Perisic scored the winner for BVB in the 33rd minute while Götze and Löwe were denied by the woodwork.

Borussia Dortmund were without six regulars from last season´s championship-winning side: Schmelzer, Bender, Barrios, Kuba and da Silva as well as Sahin who moved to Real Madrid. Since Owomoyela was also not available (Piszczek filled in for Schmelzer on the left back position), Grosskreutz was moved into the back four, and did a great job!

Kehl and Leitner took up the two midfield holding places while Götze, Kagawa and Perisic played behind Lewandowski, BVB´s lone striker. The Black ´n´ Yellows started the game with their tried-and-tested 4-2-3-1, Mainz with a 4-3-2-1, the so-called "Christmas tree" formation. The match was played over two halves of 30 minutes each, and Mainz struggled to get into the game from the start while BVB dominated proceedings from the first whistle. An Ivanschitz long-range effort was the only chance of note for the home side in the first half.

It took BVB all off four minutes to carve out their first opportunity. After Bungert gave the ball away, Kagawa set up Götze, but the lively midfielder was denied by the post. In the 25th minute, Müller had to use both fists to push Perisic´s fierce effort away, and two minutes later the Mainz goalkeeper was again on hand to deny Götze who before had broken away from Caligiuri. The last chance of the first half fell to Kagawa who, just before the break, went close from six yards.

Lukasz Piszczek sends in a cross after breaking down the right wing. [pictures: firo]
Two minutes after the interval, the German champions finally took a deserved lead. A cleared corner found its way to Götze who chipped a soft cross to the centre where Perisic jumped highest to power home an unstoppable header into the left corner. It was his first goal in a BVB shirt, and Perisic looked visibly relieved.

The Black ´n´ Yellows continued to be the better team, and Löwe, who came on for Piszczek, let fly from 30 yards only to be denied by the crossbar. In the 49th minute, Götze dribbled his way into the area, but his shot went wide. Lewandowski then went close with a header from a Perisic cross (50 mins.). Mainz´s only chance of the second half came in the 56th minute when Ujah sent a header into the side-netting (56).

Mainz: H. MĂĽller - Pospech, Bungert, Kirchhoff, Caligiuri - Baumgartlinger (46. Risse), Polanski, Ivanschitz (53. Yilmaz) - N. MĂĽller, Choupo-Moting - Allagui (53. Ujah).
BVB: Weidenfeller - Piszczek (42. Löwe), Subotic (31. Santana), Hummels, Großkreutz - Kehl, Leitner - Götze, Kagawa, Perisic - Lewandowski.
Referee: Welz. Attendance: approx. 30.000.
Goal: 0-1 Perisic (33., Götze).
 
#4 ·
Currently, Borussia Dortmund only have one player on international duty, at the moment. He is the Paraguayan international Lucas Barrios. This is good for Dortmund because it means they aren't missing to many key players for the cup final tomorrow. :thumbsup:
 
#7 ·
Dortmund chairman Hans-Joachim Watzke said it is because Dortmund don't want to give their fans the wrong signal by realizing big transfers after they almost went to bankruptcy a few years ago. Good decision in my opinion. We already have Barrios, Zidan, Le Tallec, Lewandowski, and Perisic, as well as some talented youngsters coming up like Ginczek and Ducksh. We simply don't need Bendtner.

Rumours about Felipe Melo of Juventus were also denied today, so I think the Dortmund squad will not be added onto any further this summer.
 
#8 ·
#9 ·
Dortmund - Hamburg
Hoffenheim - Dortmund
Dortmund - Nurnberg
Leverkusen - Dortmund
Dortmund - Hertha Berlin

I like our schedule for the first five matches, four of which will come next month. I think we could manage some good results but it won't be easy. Nurnberg and Hertha have got a few solid additions, while Hoffenheim are working hard in the buildup to the new season with some intense training from what I heard. Leverkusen lost their coach and are about to lose Vidal as well, so there is a good chance of beating them again. I'm hoping for 13 points from this start because it is an ideal chance to get on the right foot in the Bundesliga title defence.
 
#11 ·
It will be tough as there is a target on our backs, being the champions of the league. Teams will train harder for us, prepare harder, pay more attention to our play and so on. It never will be easy, but we have talent to use on the pitch that will surely help the title defense. With that being said, my thoughts on our first few matches are that we must prepare hard for them. We can't take any of those opponents lightly or they could strike while we aren't ready. But I'm optomistic for our hopes ona championship run this year. :thumbsup:
 
#18 ·
I was impressed with the performances of the new guys today, Lowe, Perisic, and Leitner. I wasn't too fond of Chris Lowe being a first-team signing since he came from a third (?) division German team but he performed very well today and almost scored. Perisic doing just what he was signed for; helping the midfield and scoring goals. Leitner also seems like a talented central midfielder but isn't quite ready to get too involved in first team matters.
 
#19 ·
I second that. Perisic was a great signing for us. He'll be at the least a very good contributor for Borussia Dortmund in the future. As for, Lietner and Lowe, they also did well. Which of the three do you believe has the brighest future here on this team? I personally beleive it is Perisic.
 
#20 ·
Hard to tell on that one.

Perisic is the more proven and the oldest of the three, he was top scorer of the Belgian Jupiler League last season with 22 goals and also won Belgian Player of the Year, and he is only 22 years old. He's also a full Croatian international now.

Leitner is only 18 and he showed some real talent last season both at 1860 Munich, his former club, and on loan at Augsburg, who are now promoted. I think he can go as far as becoming the next Nuri Sahin for the club, but all this will come with playing time as he matures each year. Good start from him, I have high hopes for him. He's also part of the Germany U19 national team where he has 7 goals in 8 games.

I don't know much about Lowe, but he's a talented fullback and had a very solid display today. I don't expect too much from him this season seeing as he made the jump from the fourth division to the Bundesliga champions so he will just fulfill a backup role. Is a good backup for Schmelzer whenever he is injured, suspended, or in need of a rest. He's the same age as Perisic as well.
 
#21 ·
Borussia Dortmund are automatically in the 2011-12 UEFA Champions League group stage. This is good new becausw it means our team doesn't have to go through the tough qualifying stages. They can save their energy for the real oppositions in group stages, but I'm just wondering who it will be.
 
#25 ·
Silverware? Doesn't make a friendly cup worth anything.

This cup is worth the same as for example the Emirates Cup or the Audi Cup. Of course when participating you want to win, but it is far from an official title you put on top of your letters so calm down again. ;) No need to get excited over the top. :pp