The Japan Times - Disappointed Dortmund chase consistency with Europe at stake

Dortmund sit eighth in the league, six points off fourth spot with five games remaining.

Having endured their worst domestic season in a decade, Dortmund's sudden drop-off becomes even more perplexing against the backdrop of their stellar showing against Barcelona on Tuesday.

Dortmund ran Barcelona ragged, beating the Catalonians 3-1, with Serhou Guirassy scoring a hat-trick. Two further goals were chalked off for offside.

Dortmund's fate was however sealed after a poor showing in the first leg, when they lost 4-0.

Just like last year when they stumbled to fifth in the league while beating Paris Saint-Germain, Atletico Madrid, AC Milan, Newcastle and PSV Eindhoven on the way to Wembley, Dortmund's ambitions are frustrated by their inconsistency.

Missing the Champions League would have huge repercussions for Dortmund, a club heavily reliant on European income.

Only once since winning back-to-back Bundesliga titles under Jurgen Klopp in 2010 and 2011 have Dortmund missed out on the Champions League.

A symbol of the club's inconsistency is centre-back Niklas Suele. A 2020 Champions League winner with Bayern, Suele was signed to anchor Dortmund's defence but has only periodically reproduced his top form.

Speaking after the Barcelona match, Suele was at a loss to explain Dortmund's unpredictability.

"The question we face is why don't we play like that in a Bundesliga match? That's something we need to ask ourselves again before we play Gladbach, so we can put in a similar showing.

"We have an incredible amount of quality, that's not up for debate. The sheer determination we showed today, the way we put a team like Barcelona – one of the best teams in Europe – under so much pressure.

We definitely have to accept the criticism about our inconsistency. But we're searching for solutions, we talk about it every day."

Sitting two points ahead of Dortmund, Gladbach are also in the mix for a European spot. A win on Saturday could send Dortmund as high as sixth and within striking distance of the top four, in the season's final stages.

At the top of the table, Bayern Munich can soothe the disappointment after Wednesday's Champions League exit by taking a step closer to the title with a win at Heidenheim.

Bayern sit six points clear of second-placed Bayer Leverkusen, with five games remaining.

For Leverkusen, nothing short of a Bayern collapse will keep their dreams alive of defending their title.

While such a collapse is unlikely, it is not unprecedented -- although it does not make for happy reading for Leverkusen fans. In 2001-02, Leverkusen were five points ahead with three games remaining but lost two of their last three to finish second.

One to watch: Steffen Baumgart (Union Berlin)

Coach Steffen Baumgart and his Union Berlin charges can take the final step to ensuring top-division football next season with a win on Saturday against Stuttgart at home.

As a former Union player, Baumgart's signing was criticised as a 'jobs for the boys' appointment, but the 53-year-old has turned things around in Koepenick.

Union picked up 11 points in a five-game unbeaten run against Bayern Munich, Bayer Leverkusen, Eintracht Frankfurt, Wolfsburg and Freiburg.

"We want to play our own game successfully like we did last time," Baumgart said on Thursday, adding "perhaps we'll take that final, difficult step."

Key stats

11 in 12 - Bayern Munich have won 11 of the past 12 Bundesliga titles.

Four in a row - Wolfsburg have lost their last four, leaving their European hopes hanging by a thread.

23 - Harry Kane has 23 league goals, six clear of second-placed Patrik Schick.

Fixtures (1330 GMT unless stated)

Saturday

Heidenheim v Bayern Munich, Mainz v Wolfsburg, Werder Bremen v Bochum, Freiburg v Hoffenheim, RB Leipzig v Holstein Kiel, Union Berlin v Stuttgart (1630)

Sunday

Augsburg v Eintracht Frankfurt, Borussia Dortmund v Borussia Moenchengladbach (1530), St Pauli v Bayer Leverkusen (1730)

T.Maeda--JT