Fairytale Comeback Has Fuelled Dortmund’s Title Run

Borussia Dortmund has done it. On Sunday, Dortmund responded to Bayern Munich’s 3-1 defeat to RB Leipzig with a 3-0 win over Augsburg to go back to the top of the table. And it was Sébastien Haller, who with his brace (58’ and 84’), led the Black and Yellows across the line. Julian Brandt scored Dortmund’s third (93’).

One would say the narrative writes itself. Signed for €31 million ($34.1 million) from Ajax Amsterdam, Haller was supposed to come in and replace Erling Haaland. Just weeks after arriving in Dortmund, the Ivorian striker was diagnosed with testicular cancer.

For six long months, Haller watched from the sidelines fighting cancer and was operated on twice. Dortmund, in the meantime, struggled somewhat without a true focal point on the pitch until, by some miracle, Haller returned after the winter break.

Indeed, while Haller seemingly and understandably struggled with fitness on the pitch at times. His impact after he returned can not be understated. Haller has scored nine goals and five assists in 18 Bundesliga games since returning from his cancer treatments. To put that in numbers, Haller has scored every 127 minutes this season.

With Haller back, Dortmund has scored the most goals of any club playing in a top-five league in 2023. Since Haller’s return, Dortmund has recorded 45 points and scored 56 goals. During that stretch, Dortmund is also comfortable first in the Bundesliga standings, ten points ahead of RB Leipzig and 11 points ahead of Bayern Munich.

Those numbers, of course, would matter little should Dortmund fail to make the final step on matchday 34 and finally beat Bayern Munich to the title. “This year, we are as close as we have ever been,” Dortmund head coach Edin Terzic said to German TV DAZN after the game. “Now we have to give everything one more time to—hopefully—get a hold on the title. Now it is a matter of together making that final step.”

That final step will be next week against Mainz, at home, where Dortmund has won 14 out of 16 Bundesliga games this season and scored an unbelievable 53 goals. The SIGNAL IDUNA PARK, in fact, has been a fortress, but the club was quick on Sunday to point out that Mainz has to be taken seriously for Dortmund to win the title.

“We will suck up the euphoria and take it with us,” Dortmund director of sport Sebastian Kehl said after the game to DAZN. “We need another 90 minutes in our stadium with the same power that we have shown in the last few weeks. We cannot let this slip away. I am happy for the team, but we need three more points.”

Should Dortmund wrap this title up next weekend, then it would be a fantastic comeback by a team written off last winter. It would also be the story of Haller, who has come back from cancer and then became the cornerstone of a team that has dislodged a dynasty in Bayern Munich. Some stories write themselves; we just need to wait for the final chapter.

Manuel Veth is the host of the Bundesliga Gegenpressing Podcastand the Area Manager USA at Transfermarkt. He has also been published in the Guardian, Newsweek, Howler, Pro Soccer USA, and several other outlets. Follow him on Twitter: @ManuelVeth