"This stadium is pure energy! It's electrifying, it's powerful!" | OneFootball

SIGNAL IDUNA PARK was a fortress during the 2025/26 season. It wasn't quite as impregnable as in 1991/92, when they played 19 home matches and lost none (13 wins, six draws) following German reunification and the inclusion of clubs from the former GDR – Dynamo Dresden and Hansa Rostock.

Now the record stands at 13 home wins, two draws and two defeats. Borussia Dortmund have picked up 41 of their impressive 70 points so far (73 are possible) at their own stadium. All 17 home matches were sold out, attracting 81,365 spectators. They cheered on 40 goals, an average of just under two and a half goals per game. Since 1963, there have been only eight seasons in which BVB ended up with even more home points (in some cases converted).

“I have experienced this stadium all too often as a player and also as an opposing manager. It’s pure energy, it’s electrifying, it's powerful!” said Niko Kovac late on Friday evening. The head coach was particularly impressed by the stylish send-off for former sporting director Sebastian Kehl and the first-team players Julian Brandt, Salih Özcan and Niklas Süle: “They certainly won’t forget that, and they’ll always carry it in their hearts. And I'd like to congratulate the lads for that because they’ve really done a good job here.”

“We’ve seen a bit of a generational change today”

Julian Brandt (30 years old, 522 professional appearances) and Samuele Inacio (who turned 18 four weeks ago, sixth Bundesliga appearance) featured in attacking midfield for Friday evening’s home match against Eintracht Frankfurt. Brandt is leaving after seven years, while Inacio is on the rise. “We’ve seen a bit of a generational change today. Jule has had a great seven years here. With Samuele, I have to be careful not to say too much and not to raise expectations too high.” Kovac praised not only his performance with the ball but also performance without the ball. These are qualities that will open a lot of doors for him under this manager. “We’re going to have a lot of fun with the lad.” But! “He’s really got big shoes to fill. The lad is 18, and Jule is now 30. So, we should give him time.”

If Bayern Munich win the DFB Pokal against VfB Stuttgart in two weeks’ time, Borussia Dortmund will face the old and new German champions in the Supercup on 22 August (expected to be held at SIGNAL IDUNA PARK). “We’re second now,” Kovac summed up, “which is good, because Bayern are the ‘super-Bayern’. Of course we want to compete for titles. That’s our ambition too, but you also have to acknowledge that the opposition – in this case Bayern – are simply much better than us. But we’re also really good compared to the others.”

17 home games have been played. The 17th away game is still to come. The Black & Yellows can also finish with the second best away record in the league. “We want to win” in Bremen this coming Saturday, said Kovac: “because 70 points are nice, but 73 points are still a bit better.”

With 73 points, they would have been German champions in 2023.