How Lucien Favre transformed Borussia Dortmund

Borussia Dortmund have evolved into a controlled and confident side under Lucien Favre, and look like Bundesliga favorites.

Borussia Dortmund have had a fantastic start to the season, and after winning against rivals Schalke in the Ruhr derby, things must seem a whole lot sweeter. They now sit nine points in front of Bayern Munich in second, and 22 points ahead of Schalke.

This year was meant to be one of evolution for Schalke after a terrific first season under Domenico Todesco; instead, it’s their rivals, Dortmund, who have taken off into the stratosphere under their new manager. Not only are they on top of the league, they’re also playing better soccer and winning crucial games.

Dortmund started well last year, too, scoring lots of goals playing high-flying attacking soccer, but while it was entertaining, there was a weakness to the side waiting to be exploited. Once they were found out, the wheels flew off and everything descended into chaos. The team fell apart, tactics flew out of the window, and their confidence crumbled. They saved their season by sneaking into the Champions League spots on the last day of the season, but Bayern cruised to the title, and Schalke finished runners up. Shrewd offseason signings and the appointment of Lucien Favre signaled clear intent to try and get back to the top. So far, things are unfolding exactly as planned.

Paco Alcacer gets all the headlines, but fellow new boys Axel Witsel, Abdou Diallo and Achraf Hakimi are as important to this Dortmund side. Witsel provides poise, grace and a steady head in the middle of the park, bringing everything Dortmund lacked last year. He leads by example on the field, and has become the key figure for Favre at the base of the midfield. Diallo and Manuel Akanji have formed a solid partnership at the back, and Hakimi has made the left-back spot his own. All three players had tremendous games against Schalke.

Favre is also getting the best out of Marco Reus; together again after their time at Borussia Monchengladbach, the two seem to have picked up where they left off. Reus has matured since his move to Dortmund, and has become a focal point and a leader for Favre. His movement and skill has allowed the other attacking players to rally around him. Jadon Sancho has talked about the importance of having Reus around for his own improvement, and the Englishman has become one of Europe’s standout attackers under Favre so far this season.

Individual players have performed consistently throughout the season, but a lot of it comes down to Favre and how he sets his teams up. His tactics on and off the ball have helped release a lot of this potential on the field. Players have bought into his idea quickly, and are applying it to perfection on the pitch.

Unlike the chaos of last year and the heavy metal football of the Jurgen Klopp’s era, Dortmund play with a real balance and professionalism. They sit compact and allow their opponents to have the ball, which allows them to transition into attack quickly and hit teams on the break. They’re also excellent on the ball themselves. They can play wonderful expansive soccer at times, but when not at their best, are still able to dig out a result. Despite not being at their best against Schalke, they only needed a couple of chances to bury the game, which is symbolic of how clinical they have become.

Dortmund now have the mentality of a title-winning side. They have now beaten Atletico Madrid, Bayern and Schalke this season, and look like an elite club at the moment. If they continue to play like they have been, there’s no telling how far this team can go and how many trophies they can compete for. They can thank Favre for that.