Post-Match Report
BVB Takes Another Step Forward – How Much of It Is Thanks to the Fans
On Wednesday evening, SIGNAL IDUNA PARK once again experienced one of those magical nights for which this iconic soccer temple is world-famous. On one side were a good 6,000 “Béticos” who had traveled from Andalusia—supporters of Spain’s current fourth-place team—who continued celebrating their team long after the final whistle. On the other side, four stands were really in the mood for an emotional night of soccer. Even in the central section of the typically reserved East Stand, fans spent more time on their feet than seated, and in crunch time—when the Black and Yellows secured their narrow but well-deserved 2-1 victory over Real Betis—they were standing behind their team anyway.
“I’ve been in Dortmund for three months now. The atmosphere was just incredible again today,” marveled Joey Veerman, and Jobe Bellingham couldn’t stop raving. “It feels like we swept them off the field with the crowd’s help. When you run toward the South Stand, it’s just magical for us in the Champions League,” said the young Englishman. “The fans helped us incredibly. The Yellow Wall is fantastic on every occasion. But tonight, the South Stand was just incredible,” he added in an interview with BVB-TV.
Konstantinos Karetsas experienced a very special evening. He was supposed to be brought on gradually after two substitutions, but following Serhou Guirassy’s injury less than 30 minutes into the game—and the resulting absence of Borussia Dortmund’s “Mr. Champions League” (21 goals and 12 assists since the league phase began in September 2024)—the Greek player had to take the field much earlier than originally planned. “I was pumped full of adrenaline because of the atmosphere. In games like this, you’re ready to go even if you haven’t warmed up properly,” he said afterward in an interview with BVB-TV.
The substitution almost didn’t happen at all. At first, it looked as though Guirassy would be able to continue playing, and when the forward did briefly return to the field after receiving treatment—and Karetsas was ordered back to his seat on the bench—he went… to the restroom.
“I wanted to bring him in, but he wasn’t there,” coach Niko Kovac reported: “Then I wanted to bring in Carney (Chukwuemeka, ed.), but then he suddenly came around the corner after all. So he was lucky to have gotten back in time.”
Well, both the coach and the players were lucky. Karetsas played a key role in setting up Fabio Silva’s 1-0 goal, and he scored the game-winning 2-1 goal himself with a technically outstanding performance. “Once again, a substitute player made the difference,” praised sporting director Lars Ricken: “That really shows how well the team is clicking.”
Silva and Karetsas impressed on offense with their great understanding of the game. The Portuguese player set up the Greek for the 2-1 goal, and in his view, Karetsas—who was honored with this award by UEFA—would have been the better choice for Player of the Match. At least, that’s what he said. This, too, is an example of how well the team is clicking and why, despite the (excessive) workload in recent weeks, they still managed to secure their fifth win (two draws, one loss).
“It was certainly a hard-fought victory, but after the very good game in Munich, it was very important that we come home with three points,” explained Niko Kovac, who is pleased with nine points after four of eight league games but is still only eyeing the top eight spots in the standings. “With our budget, we’re not the kind of team that can just breeze in there. We have to make sure we pick up our points so we can finish in a better position than last season.”
Boris Rupert