5 things Borussia Dortmund must do to catch Bayern Munich next year

Borussia Dortmund priority No. 2: Get Marco Reus and Dan-Axel Zagadou back to full fitness

Every team suffers injury blows throughout a season, but Dortmund experienced more than their fair share of bad injury luck this season. Losing both Marco Reus and Dan-Axel Zagadou to season-ending injuries cost the German side valuable points.

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Reus may not have the same pace that powered his game in previous seasons, but his skill with the ball at his feet is still something to behold. Add that to his ability to change a game with a stellar free kick and it’s easy to understand why Dortmund have missed him so much.

Zagaou’s injury may not have gotten as much fanfare, but it cost Dortmund some much-needed physicality and athleticism along their back line. He’s just the sort of young, dynamic talent that helps Dortmund close the gap on Bayern in the club’s peak seasons. The coaching staff desperately needs to be able to add him back to their mix in 2020-21.

It may seem overly simplistic to point out that fewer injuries would help Dortmund chase down Bayern. The reality is that Dortmund can’t afford to employ the same level of depth that their der Klassiker rivals can. That means they need better fitness each season to stay even with Bayern.