Peter succeeds Peter: Stöger takes over and wins

Hans-Joachim Watzke and Michael Zorc consequently stressed at the press conference the day after "how difficult the decision was for us". Sitting alongside them on the podium was Peter Stöger, who had four very successful years in Cologne, and a likewise inexplicable slide downwards with FC across the previous six months behind him. The Austrian was given a fixed-term contract lasting until the end of the season, and was full of pleasant anticipation: "I will approach the whole thing with much zest and plenty of passion. You only get this kind of opportunity once in a lifetime."

The turnaround that was hoped for continued to remain elusive going into December. The team did manage to draw the game away against Bayer Leverkusen 1-1 thanks to a goal from Yarmolenko, having gone into the break trailing 1-0, and also temporarily clawed back a two goal deficit away at Real Madrid via a brace from Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, but the game ultimately finished 3-2 in Real's favour. The Madrid match mirrored events in BVB's home game against Werder Bremen (1-2), during which Aubameyang was able to score to equalise 1-1 after the break, but ultimately hopes for a turnaround were to be dashed. "It is a very mixed picture", said Zorc of the way in which the season had gone up until that point: "At some point, something happened to the team psychologically. We can't explain it."

On top of that, the infirmary continued to fill up: Gonzalo Castro (ankle) and Maximilian Philipp (knee) sustained serious injuries during the match against Leverkusen, and were ruled out for weeks, if not months.

Peter Stöger's debut immediately resulted in the club's first league win in 73 days! "Many of the positive things that were on display here are down to Peter Bosz, who has left much that is good behind him here. A part of this game and this win belongs to him", said Stöger after the 2-0 victory away at 1. FSV Mainz 05. Sokratis and Shinji Kagawa had ensured the win with goals in the second half. Four days later, the team secured their first win after having been behind through goals from Aubameyang (penalty kick) and Pulisic in the 90' minute. Their success carried them some distance forwards. Borussia climbed from eighth in the table to third within a week.

In the cup, Bayern clearly dominated the first half of the round of 16 match and should have led by more than 2-0. Ultimately, though, they were to experience increasing difficulties as the encounter progressed, since Yarmolenko scored a headed effort to take the game to 2-1 with a good quarter of an hour remaining, and BVB created a number of good chances for themselves in an effort to get an equaliser for 2-2.

Christian Pulisic became the youngest player ever to be voted Footballer of the Year in the USA. The 19-year-old received 94% of the votes: "It is really a great honour. I want to thank everybody who voted for me. I would never have imagined that such a thing could happen."

BVB visit the Dortmund Clinic every single year, an experience that always allows other concerns to be forgotten about, at least for the moment. This traditional event took place for the 21st time during Advent. The team, led by manager Peter Stöger and with plenty of black and yellow gifts under their arms, surprised the young, and in some cases seriously ill children in their rooms within the children's clinic. "It is and remains for us a matter of the heart", stressed team captain Marcel Schmelzer, who was participating in this most important of events for the tenth time.

Financially speaking, there was more good news at the end of 2017: Borussia Dortmund extended their long-standing partnership with marketing agency Lagardère Sports early, with the arrangement now continuing until 30 June 2026. “We’re delighted to have found a very good solution that is in the interest of Borussia Dortmund and enables us to continue our cooperation with a reliable, competent and strong partner in the long-term,” explained Hans-Joachim Watzke. “Lagardère Sports will continue to market Borussia Dortmund’s national and international advertising, media and hospitality rights, although as of July 2020 this will be under significantly improved conditions for BVB. From that point onwards, the marketing agency will also no longer participate in the proceeds from centrally marketed media rights,” said Thomas Treß, BVB’s Chief Financial Officer, citing what is for the club another important argument for the extension of the cooperation.

Boris Rupert