Kobel apologises and takes blame for penalty in Dortmund’s Champions League exit

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·25 February 2026

Kobel apologises and takes blame for penalty in Dortmund’s Champions League exit

Borussia Dortmund crashed out of the Champions League, losing 4-1 to Atalanta in Bergamo despite a 2-0 first-leg lead. According to BuLi News, Gregor Kobel accepted that his mistake led to the late penalty that sealed their exit.

Kobel’s misplaced pass handed Atalanta possession in a dangerous area, after which Ramy Bensebaini conceded a foul. Lazar Samardzic converted the resulting spot-kick for the hosts’ fourth.

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"That was my mistake at the end. I'm incredibly sorry for my teammates. Football can be cruel sometimes," Kobel said.

"I first wanted to clear the ball, but sometimes you only have a split second. Of course, I should have dealt with it differently." He added.

Dortmund must now turn to Saturday’s Bundesliga top-of-the-table meeting with Bayern Munich. "We have little time now, so we have to dust ourselves off and move on," said Kobel.

Source: BuLi News