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Bergamo 2018: wobbled, worried, won
After a 1-1 draw against Atalanta, Borussia Dortmund secured their place in the round of 16 of the 2017/18 UEFA Europa League. “We would have liked it to have been easier,” said Mario Götze. “It wasn't a good game for us,” admitted Marcel Schmelzer. And then-coach Peter Stöger appealed to his team: “We have to fight more.”
Dressed entirely in yellow, Borussia got off lightly in the snowstorm in Reggio Emilia because they had little to counter the physicality of their opponents, who played hard but fair. “If we can't showcase our footballing quality on the pitch, we need to stand up and fight,” the coach complained.
After just ten minutes, the narrow 3-2 lead from the first leg had been wiped out. “Falling behind here was not what we had planned,” said Götze. Although the aggregate score was now 3-3, the away goals rule applied at the time, so the Italians had the advantage. They were now able to play more cautiously and defensively, letting Borussia come at them but hardly allowing them any opportunities to get through.
“We discussed at half-time that one goal would be enough for us, that we mustn't lose our heads, and that we had to get control of the game,” revealed Schmelzer: “We managed to do that from the middle of the second half onwards.”
For Mario Götze, Marcel Schmelzer's late equaliser in the 83rd minute, when he slotted home the rebound after Marco Reus' effort was parried by goalkeeper Berisha, was “proof that our morale is high and that we fight to the bitter end.” And so the team managed to avert the threat of elimination after all and, considering the first and second legs, deservedly advanced to the next round. But then came the early exit against FC Salzburg…
Boris Rupert