On Tuesday evening, Borussia Dortmund overcame Paris Saint-Germain 1-0 at the Parc des Princes to guarantee their place in the Champions League final with a 2-0 aggregate victory.
Coming into the tie with a 1-0 advantage, Dortmund knew that avoiding defeat would be enough to ensure their second Champions League final appearance in the last eleven years. While it would be the hosts asking the majority of the questions during the early exchanges, BvB held firm to protect their aggregate lead.
Frustrating PSG was undoubtedly the game plan set out by Edin Terzić, and in the first half, BvB executed this to perfection. However, as well as this, on the counter-attack, they also proved to be a dangerous threat, with Gianluigi Donnarumma preventing Karim Adeyemi with a crucial save.
Regardless, due to the implications of the tie, the second half was never going to be any different, and that proved to be the case. The French champions came out with a vengeance, and when the ball broke to Warren Zaïre-Emery at the back post, it appeared as though PSG had found their goal.
Nevertheless, the teenager struck the post, a miss that just seconds later proved to be significantly costly. A towering Mats Hummels header doubled Dortmund’s advantage, leaving the Parisians with an uphill battle—a battle that was unequivocally lost.
Despite PSG’s best efforts, Dortmund’s stubborn nature and the power of the woodwork were too much for the Ligue 1 outfit. As quickly as opportunities would come, they would painstakingly go, and as PSG miss out on the chance to be crowned Champions of Europe, once again, BvB will walk out at Wembley with Europe’s biggest prize on the line.
Why Borussia Dortmund are the best team in Europe
In the Bundesliga this season, Dortmund have underwhelmed on a spectacular level. Despite securing a victory at the Allianz Arena over Bayern Munich and pushing Bayer Leverkusen to their limits, performances like their 4-1 defeat to RB Leipzig have become an all-too-regular occurrence.
For this reason, Edin Terzić has come under a significant amount of scrutiny throughout the course of the season. However, when questions were asked of the head coach, Dortmund’s Champions League performances were often the answer.
In the UEFA competition, BvB have been smart, disciplined, and ruthless. While, as seen domestically, Die Schwarzgelben do not possess the best players in Europe, they have approached each game with every ingredient required to dispatch any top side.
At times, they may not be the most fluid or attractive outfit to watch, but Dortmund have been unapologetically consistent, and they have been rewarded with a place in the Champions League final.
In possession, BvB have the pace, directness, and precision to find a goal, while out of possession, they are organised and disciplined. When mistakes have occurred, as seen against Atlético Madrid, they have been punished, but they have responded.
Undeniably, player for player, they are not the best side in Europe. However, in the Champions League, they have proved that as a team, they can be the best team in Europe, and on June 1, they may be crowned as such.
GGFN | Will Shopland
