Borussia Dortmund
Borussia Dortmund, one of the most exciting teams in the world, are facing fellow German powerhouse Bayern Munich in the UEFA Champions League Final this Saturday.
On paper, Bayern look the stronger and deeper squad, but Dortmund has proven over the past two years that they’re more than capable of matching Bayern’s talent. With an attacking trio that can match any other with Mario Gotze, Robert Lewandowski, and Marco Reus, look for Dortmund to provide a real threat in attack on Saturday.
Dortmund has failed to recapture their league form of a year ago, but their performances in the Champions League validates the potency of the squad. To start, making it out of the ‘Group of Death’ this season was an accomplishment in its own. Every team in the group had finished atop their respective domestic leagues' tables, and Dortmund finished atop the group ahead of Real Madrid.
They show absolutely no fear for any opponent they’ve faced, and play their matches on their own terms. They have everything you want in a team and can play multiple styles. We’ve seen them control possession using the vastly underrated midfielder Ilkay Gundogan pulling the strings for the ‘Big 3’ up front, and we’ve seen them play through their wingers with their world-class pace on the ball. Lewandowski, Dortmund’s Polish talisman, has quickly become one of the best forwards in the world.
There may be no greater proof of the talent on this Dortmund squad than what we’ve seen come through the rumor mill over the past month. Bayern Munich has been doing their best to poach Dortmund’s best players, already making Mario Gotze the most expensive German player in history, and has been heavily linked to Robert Lewandowski. As difficult as it is to rank this squad’s top five players, here they are ...
5. Ilkay Gundogan
One of the most underrated players in the world, Ilkay Gundogan has definitely made his mark in Dortmund’s run to the UCL Final. He controlled much of the first leg against Real Madrid with his defensive tenacity and ability to play with the ball at his feet. Not lacking any poise, Gundogan is being considered as the heir apparent to Bastian Schweinsteiger in the German midfield. He may not be the guy scoring the goals, but his pass completion percentage of 88 percent is outstanding and shows his ability to control the tempo.
4. Mats Hummels
Hummels is arguably the top centre-back in the world and he’s recently been linked with a summer move to Barcelona, although he has since pledged his loyalty to Dortmund. Hummels has been prone to the occasional mistake, but his presence in the back four is crucial to Dortmund’s defense.
3. Marco Reus
Dortmund’s prodigal son, Marco Reus has added his name to one of the more dynamic attacking players in the world. He has blinding speed on the wings and has the ability to play multiple positions and styles. Scoring 14 goals and adding nine assists this season, Marco Reus is also going to be brought up with big-money moves in the transfer market. Look for Reus to play more in the center of the pitch if Mario Gotze is unable to play.
2. Robert Lewandowski
Lewandowski’s reputation his soared throughout the year and perhaps even putting him in the same category as Radamael Falcao and Edinson Cavani. Lewandowski’s blend of power and skill is hard to come by in football, and we all caught a glimpse of his potency when he poured four goals in against Real Madrid in the Semi-Finals.
1. Mario Gotze
Gotze, 20, has already developed into a world-class No. 10. This season, he has scored 10 goals while adding eight assists. Even more impressive, he completed 86 percent percent of his passes and tallied 138 chances created. Gotze has been reportedly ruled out for the UCL Final, which would be a huge blow to Dortmund.
