Ghosts of 2023 surface after Dortmund return to the Bundesliga summit
Quick summary
Borussia Dortmund have returned to the top of the Bundesliga, reviving memories of their 2023 title-winning campaign, with Stuttgart among the chasing pack.
Full article
Attributed to original sourceIt is probably a stretch to call BVB title contenders but Niko Kovac’s side maintained their 100% start against Stuttgart
Borussia Dortmund would probably rather not think about the last time that they topped the Bundesliga. It was in May 2023, just before all their dreams imploded , with black and yellow Deutschmeister t-shirts – ‘master of Germany’ – for sale on the approach to Signal Iduna Park and cold beers at the ready. Now, that is no longer the most recent time Dortmund have led the pack.
It’s four games, four wins to start this season and the Niko Kovac workout plan is hitting the spot. Saturday night’s single-goal win at Stuttgart was a game that had the gravitas of a true Topspiel, if not quite the entertainment value of one. Kovac’s fingerprints were all over it. The conversation of whether his view of the game fits with BVB’s swashbuckling image will no doubt continue, but this was a case in point to show just how good Kovac has been for the club, and for the team.
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What happened
Andy Brassell examines Borussia Dortmund's return to the Bundesliga summit, drawing parallels with their 2022-23 title-winning season under Edin Terzić. The piece looks at what has changed at the club since that campaign and what their return to the top says about the current state of German football. Stuttgart, who have been among the early-season pacesetters, feature as a key reference point in assessing Dortmund's resurgence.
Chance analysis
Dortmund reclaiming the Bundesliga summit brings back vivid memories of 2023, when they ended a decade-long wait for the title only to see it nearly slip away on the final day. Their ability to re-emerge at the top so soon after that emotional high — and the upheaval that followed — is a testament to the structural foundations Niko Kovač and the club's hierarchy have quietly rebuilt. The presence of Stuttgart in the conversation also signals that the Bundesliga may have a genuine multi-team title race rather than another Bayern procession.
Dortmund's return to the Bundesliga summit boosts their title credentials and morale, while Stuttgart remain a credible challenger in an open title race.