Press review BVB v RB Leipzig: Kovac calls for only ‘limited hunger’ | OneFootball

Draw ends the match 1:1 between Borussia Dortmund and Rasenballsport Leipzig on Saturday. This is how the press evaluates the game at Signal Iduna Park.

BVB expert Freddie Röckenhaus sees a clear winner of this duel in the Süddeutsche Zeitung: FC Bayern Munich. Both coaches did everything to minimize risk, resulting in long phases of mutual blocking. The Leipzig team appeared fresher than BVB after their Champions League exertions. Nico Schlotterbeck was the best player for Dortmund, while the offense struggled. Particularly Serhou Guirassy remained "blunt" once again. Due to a lack of alternatives, the overplayed striker could not be rested. Discipline and fighting spirit could not be denied to BVB. However, they are far from the ease with which FC Bayern currently wins their games.

The Tagesspiegel lets the dpa speak as usual. It was an "intense but not very spectacular top match." The more dominant team was BVB, who rewarded themselves with Yan Couto's first goal to equalize. Towards the end, BVB became more agile and active, but they missed the big points for the role as Bayern's first pursuer.

Photo: IMAGO

Brandt and Bellingham bring new momentum to BVB

The Sportschau praises that BVB remained unimpressed after falling behind. However, they rarely managed to break through offensively, with the notable exception of the equalizer. Overall, it was "a hard-fought match between two teams on equal footing." For a victory, BVB lacked consistency and precision. Since both teams also offered "stable defense work," great chances were scarce.

The Stuttgarter Zeitung states that BVB missed the opportunity to set another mark in the Bundesliga with the 1:1 – despite now being unbeaten for 14 games in a row.

The Leipzig pressure phase after the break was withstood by BVB, just as they subsequently built more pressure themselves without reaching the goal, writes the WAZ. The substitutions of Jobe Bellingham, Julian Brandt, and Pascal Groß brought noticeable momentum, but not the winning goal.

In contrast, the Kicker saw almost a festival of chances in the second half with opportunities for both teams. However, unlike their playfulness, both lacked efficiency, leaving the score at the early 1:1. This assessment is also supported by numbers. In the end, BVB had 15:13 shots on goal, suggesting that the draw was fair.

Niko Kovac prescribed only "limited greed" to BVB this time, preferring caution in the duel with Leipzig, as noted by the FAZ. Other coaches might have acted differently when the special energy of the Dortmund stadium became increasingly compelling in the final phase. But Kovac thinks differently, preferring the less daring approach. This is also an expression of a style change at BVB under him as head coach.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇩🇪 here.