Would You Rather: The BVB Edition

Happy international break, everyone! While we eagerly wait for Der Klassiker to take place in about two weeks, I’ve decided to make up a little “game” for us all to enjoy! You probably know the popular party-game “Would you rather”. The game is simply about picking one of two options - only this time it won’t be about which celebrity you would rather have cook your dinner, but will instead be close-to-impossible BVB-related dilemmas. So get your decision-making hat on, and let’s get into it!

Some context will be added to some of these dilemmas to help you make your own, totally unbiased choice. Per default, you are supposed to account for everything regarding these dilemmas. This means player valuations, injury histories, and so on (unless other is mentioned).

Keep Gregor Kobel for the rest of his career or keep Jude Bellingham for five more years

Now, this scenario requires some wishful thinking - but that’s what this game is all about! A career-long Kobel-contract or five more years with one of the best midfielders in the world? I don’t think this one is easy at all. Both players have been immense for BVB ever since they arrived, and they both have an almost weekly impact on BVB’s results. Take your pick!

Bayern don’t win the league for the next four years or Dortmund win the UCL next season

In this scenario, you are to imagine that Bayern implode for the next four years. Nagelsmann (now Tuchel) just can’t get the squad going, and their win percentage plummets. This opens up the title race for every other Bundesliga side. Now - this doesn’t mean that Dortmund necessarily win the league - it just means that Bayern don’t.

After four years, they will eventually regain their form, and Dortmund, Leipzig and co. are back to chasing the illusive Bundesliga title.

The other choice you have is for Dortmund to win the UCL next season. Terzic goes on a winning run and knocks out Chelsea and PSG in the process. Dortmund are in the final - and it’s against Real Madrid. The Spanish club dominate BVB for two-thirds of the match, but Marco Reus manages to equalize for Dortmund in the 90th minute to make it 1-1. The game goes to extra time and into a penalty shootout. Dortmund score all of their penalties, and Kobel saves Madrid’s last penalty after a badly taken effort from Vinicius Junior.

Spend a day with Karim Adeyemi and Nico Schlotterbeck or Jude Bellingham and Erling Haaland (No Language Barrier)

BVB has seen some iconic duos over the years, both for off-field antics and on-field prowess. Reus and Aubameyang, Hummels and Subotic, Schmelzer and Piszczek. In this scenario, you get to choose which set of goons you would rather hang around with for a day.

Karim and Nico were an instant hit, having spent time together in youth football at the national level. Since the start of the season, they have provided countless comical clips for fans to enjoy.

Erling and Jude were similarly fun to watch, with entertaining interviews and an iconic smooch from Jude just some of the highlights that added to their on-field exploits.

Dortmund win the UCL title in 12/13, or Dortmund win the league in 18/19

Two iconic seasons, two iconic disappointments.

Dortmund were beaten late by Bayern Munich at Wembley in an iconic final between the two Bundesliga clubs. The scenario has not repeated itself since, but there would have been no more appropriate opponent for Dortmund to claim their second UCL title against. Unfortunately on that fateful night, it was not meant to be for BVB.

In 2018/19, Marco Reus, Jadon Sancho, and Paco Alcácer led BVB to the top of the league, with free-flowing football making a rather rag-tag group of Dortmund regulars into season-long stars. Reus in particular played a season to remember, notching SEVENTEEN goals and eleven assists in the league. An untimely injury to the skipper was enough to derail BVB’s title charge, and the season fell the way of the Bavarians.

Mario Götze never transfers to Bayern Munich or Shinji Kagawa never transfers to Manchester United

Dortmund has a recent history of buying young players, developing them, and selling them for high prices. BVB also has a recent history of selling players who are then purchased back a few years later: (Hummels, Götze, Kagawa)

Since Mats Hummels’s return to Dortmund in 2019, he reestablished himself as a vital player in the squad. The same couldn't be said for Götze or Kagawa. Shinji left in 2012 before returning in 2014 and Mario exited in 2013, returning in 2016. The transfers happened after a couple of brilliant seasons from the Black-and-Yellows.

Kagawa’s two years in Manchester were marred by injury and poor consistency on the pitch. Many could suggest that Götze’s transfer to Bayern derailed his career. He was a starlet who would become Germany’s World Cup hero a year after his transfer, but he failed to make much of an impact in his subsequent time in Munich.

Both Mario Götze and Shinji Kagawa are players that BVB fans lost right when they were entering their prime. What if they had never left?

What did you pick?

Which choices were the hardest for you? Let us know in the comments below!