Despite winning the clubs’ first silverware in 3 campaigns, 2016/17 was still a season of wasted potential and tumult for Borussia Dortmund. After a successful first season under Thomas Tuchel, which was seen as a solid foundation for this year, Dortmund started the season looking forward to a bright campaign. A host of young talents had been brought to the club, of whom Ousmane Dembele would prove to light up Westfalenstadion like few others in their first season with the club. But indecision over who should be captain of the club and some disappointing early season results suggested not everything was ok. Defeat to Leipzig early on in the season also pointed to a new star rising in in the league. Despite some off the field noise, on the pitch Dortmund progressed well on all fronts, though a lack of consistency in the league caused them to fall behind.
It was after Christmas that matter started to turn sour between Tuchel and the board with player purchases not being sanctioned by the coach as well as results not being as expected. The situation came to a head when Dortmund’s team bus was involved in a bomb blast before a Champions League game. Tuchel wanted his players to rest while the board committed to the club playing the following night. A cup win away in Munich proved to be one of the highlights of the season in the cup semi final. But a quarter final Champions League exit and the team’s struggle to finish in the top three meant there were doubts over Tuchel’s position. Even a cup win against Eintracht Frankfurt failed to save the head coach who will leave over the summer.
Tuchel leaves a squad with a talented core, but a team which is easily bullied off the pitch as has been shown frequently this term. The attacking talent is clear to see. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang scored over 30 goals this season while Dembele made 12 goals and added 5 of his own. Marco Reus also scored a goal every other game in another injury hit season. Those three are certainly the three best players this season, though Aubameyang just edges out his colleagues. Though the Gabonese striker is likely to leave this summer, he has ended his time with the club on a high. Further players made an impact, especially Sokratis and Raphael Guerreiro in defensive roles, but the squad needs further strengthening to be a force again in the league and to battle on all three fronts again next season.
