/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/66466466/513980464.jpg.0.jpg)
- Matchday 25
Borussia Dortmund move into second place with a crucial win against a competitor for the title in Borussia Mönchengladbach. It was not BVB’s best performance of the season but the team was once again solid on defense and got the job done on offense.
Bayern Munich did enough to get the 2:0 against FC Augsburg and are now 4 points clear of second place. RB Leipzig are now in third after their second draw in a row. Julian Nagelsmann took a gamble and tried to give his star striker Timo Werner a rest which backfired as Leipzig remained scoreless in their draw against Wolfsburg.
Bayer Leverkusen have, at least temporarily, moved into the top 4 after their convincing 4:0 win against Eintracht Frankfurt. Gladbach will have a chance to move back into the top 4 with a win on Wednesday against 1.FC Köln.
In the relegation zone the situation looks very dire for SC Paderborn (1:2 vs Köln), Werder Bremen (2:2 vs Hertha Berlin) and Fortuna Düsseldorf (1:1 vs Mainz) as all three teams once again failed to pick up a win.
Bayern take a four-point lead at the top ☝️ #BundesligaMD25 pic.twitter.com/jPi1bC1hEM
— Bundesliga English (@Bundesliga_EN) March 8, 2020
- DFB Cup
The DFB Cup semifinal match-ups have been drawn, Bayern Munich will host Eintracht Frankfurt in a rematch of the 2018 final. Bayern will be the favorites but Frankfurt have had some impressive runs in recent cup competitions. Meanwhile Regionalliga Süd side 1.FC Saarbrücken will look to continue their miracle run versus Bayer Leverkusen at home.
The #DFBPokal semi-finals #FCSB04 #FCBSGE #Berlin2020 pic.twitter.com/0jW3krzj8F
— The DFB-Pokal (@DFBPokal_EN) March 8, 2020
Many fans had their doubts about Emre Can’s transfer to Borussia Dortmund (myself included) but the midfielder has been a phenomenal addition to the black and yellows. Can has helped stabilize the defense and gives this team some much needed experience and mentality that it was lacking.
In an interview with kicker Can revealed that he could have just as easily ended up in the Premier League:
“I had three Premier League deals alone, including one from Manchester United. But I didn’t think about that for a second because of my Liverpool past.”
So Manchester United lost out to BVB not only for Haaland but also for Emre Can and you might be able to add Jude Bellingham to the list in a few months.
But why choose BVB? Can has also talked about his sympathy for the club and why he wanted to join Dortmund:
“I have always had an extreme sympathy for BVB. I wanted to go to a club for which I can be important, where I am needed. That is the case in Dortmund. Borussia is a good fit for me - and vice versa. And the money: yes, that’s important, but not everything.”
- PSG vs BVB without fans
The events of the past few days had already indicated what is now official, the Champions League game Paris St Germain against Borussia Dortmund will take place without spectators. This is a measure taken by the French government to prevent the expansion of the Corona-virus.
#Coronavirus | En application des mesures annoncées en conseil de défense hier soir, le préfet de Police a décidé que le match #PSGBVB se déroulera à huis clos. pic.twitter.com/arwKhKE81f
— Préfecture de Police (@prefpolice) March 9, 2020
The German government has thought about taking similar measures but there is no decision just yet. This could affect the derby on Saturday against Schalke 04 and of course the remaining Bundesliga matches.