Borussia Dortmund go into the winter break in second place in the table and have thus established a starting position that has by no means been a given in recent years. BVB are on a stable course in the Bundesliga and are in tenth place in the Champions League after the preliminary round and thus also on target. In an interview with kicker, Managing Director Sport Lars Ricken spoke openly about the goals for the season – and surprised with a remarkable Bayern forecast
While Dortmund are focusing on their own development, Ricken is also looking towards Munich. And his view is clear. „You have to look realistically towards the top, Bayern are simply doing well,“ explained the 49-year-old, before adding: „Normally, they will be German champions, DFB Cup winners and Champions League winners.“
A statement that is remarkable in its clarity, even by Bayern standards, and is effectively a treble prediction
A look at the figures shows that this assessment is not made up out of thin air. FC Bayern is marching confidently through the Bundesliga, is stable internationally and also holds all the aces in the cup. For BVB, this means that the dream of the championship is theoretically alive, but realistically it remains heavily dependent on Munich’s performance
Clear focus on Champions League and consistency
At the same time, Ricken made it clear what is now important in Dortmund. „We have to keep the tension high, we owe that to every fan,“ he emphasised. The ultimate goal is a confident entry into the Champions League – without the trepidation that has accompanied BVB several times in recent seasons. With 32 points from 15 games, the Black & Yellows have achieved their best first-round haul in seven years and are currently Bayern’s top rivals
The quarter-finals are regarded internally as a realistic minimum target, especially as BVB has regularly reached this mark in recent years. For Ricken, these are not exaggerated ambitions, but the aspirations of a club that wants to be among the national and international leaders in the long term
The early exit from the DFB Cup remains a drop of bitterness. According to Ricken, the 1:0 defeat against Bayer Leverkusen in the round of 16 still stings deeply. „That really hurt,“ he admitted. Precisely because the cup often represents Dortmund’s most realistic chance of winning the title, the failure was a setback. Nevertheless, the focus should now be consistently on the remaining competitions.
