Borussia Dortmund's Season Review: Highlights and Low Points

The numbers tell one story. The performances tell another. Borussia Dortmund’s campaign was a strange blend of reliability at the back, volatility in midfield and streaky brilliance up front, a season where some reputations were cemented and others badly shaken.

Kobel, the Constant

Start with the one man who rarely flinched.

Gregor Kobel played 47 competitive matches, more minutes than anyone in the squad, conceded 57 goals and still walked away as one of Dortmund’s most reliable performers. Eighteen clean sheets underline his influence, but the real picture lies in the moments when structure broke and he held everything together.

Time and again he bailed his side out with spectacular saves, none more decisive than in the cup tie in Frankfurt, where he became the hero in the penalty shoot-out. His season was not spotless – an unnecessary pass in Freiburg led directly to Jobe Bellingham’s red card – yet that was the exception in a campaign of high-level consistency. A clear “2” in the ratings, and fully deserved.

Defence: From Anton’s Authority to Schlotterbeck’s Uncertainty

Along the back line, the hierarchy subtly shifted.

Nico Schlotterbeck’s season never quite settled. Returning from injury in September, he initially looked sharp, only for his form to wobble. Direct involvement in several goals conceded and a nagging uncertainty over his future weighed on him. The centre-back still contributed five goals – a personal best across 37 matches and 3,290 minutes – but the sense remained that he can, and should, deliver more. A “3” reflects a reasonable but underwhelming year.

Next to him, Waldemar Anton quietly became the rock. The former Stuttgart defender logged 3,927 minutes in 44 matches and turned in a string of almost flawless displays. He tackled with conviction, stayed switched on, and threw himself into duels with a relentlessness that made him Dortmund’s defensive linchpin. Three goals were a bonus; the real value lay in his presence. Rating: “2” – the standard-bearer at the back.

On the left, Ramy Bensebaini put together a solid, if unspectacular, campaign. After a period of adaptation, the Algerian’s technical quality began to shine through in both build-up and defensive work. With 32 matches, 2,396 minutes, seven goals and three assists, he emerged as the most prolific scorer behind the attacking quartet of Guirassy, Brandt, Beier and Adeyemi. A “2.5” season: dependable, occasionally decisive, but with room for more dominance.

Dortmund also caught a glimpse of the future. Young Italian defender Reggiani, drafted in because of injuries, slipped into the back three, kept things simple and scored in his fourth Bundesliga outing. Across nine games and 603 minutes, he needed plenty of guidance from Anton but coped decently with the step up. His “3.5” rating reflects a cautious but promising start.

The story was harsher for another youngster. Promoted early due to the absences of Schlotterbeck and Emre Can, the 20-year-old defender debuted in the cup in Essen with a solid performance, then made his Bundesliga bow five days later – only to concede a late penalty and be sent off. From there, his trajectory dipped. Reggiani overtook him in the pecking order, he dropped back to the U23s, and his six appearances and 311 minutes went unrated. A brutal lesson in elite football.

On the fringes, Chelsea loanee Anselmino arrived rusty but left an impression. An eye-catching debut was followed by weeks out injured, yet whenever he was fit, the 20-year-old defended aggressively, read the game well and showed real composure on the ball. Ten matches, 585 minutes, one goal and one assist were enough to hint at major upside – only for Chelsea to trigger a winter buy-back clause and pull him back to London. A “2.5” season that ended just as it was getting interesting.

Midfield: Nmecha’s Breakthrough and Sabitzer’s Fade

If there was one midfielder who grew into the heartbeat of this side, it was Felix Nmecha. Across 42 appearances and 3,137 minutes, the German international delivered his best season yet in black and yellow. His control on the ball, his ability to quicken the tempo and his vision between the lines often allowed Dortmund to dictate games. Even with the occasional dip in form, his absence during injury spells underlined just how important he had become. Five goals, three assists, and a rating of “2” tell the story of a player finally fulfilling expectations.

Contrast that with Marcel Sabitzer. At 32, with his experience and pedigree, Dortmund expected him to drive matches. Instead, after a shaky pre-season, he briefly found rhythm before slipping away again. Too often he vanished from games, unable to put his stamp on midfield. One goal, four assists in 34 appearances and 2,347 minutes is a modest return for a player of his status. The “4.5” rating reflects that gap between reputation and reality.

Emre Can’s year never really got going. Like Schlotterbeck, the captain missed several months at the start, then saw his form swing up and down before a cruciate ligament tear ended his season early. Three goals in 16 games, 980 minutes and a “3.5” rating – a stop-start campaign that leaves more questions than answers.

Salih Özcan’s situation was even more stark. Left out of the Champions League squad, his hoped-for summer move collapsed through injury, and despite Niko Kovac promising more minutes after the winter break, the midfielder played just 53 minutes in the second half of the season. Twelve appearances, 74 minutes in total, no goals, no assists – and no rating. He departs on a free, his Dortmund chapter closed with barely a whisper.

Wing-backs and Wide Men: Workhorses, Worries and Wasted Fees

On the flanks, the story was mixed.

One Norwegian wide player failed to score in 42 games but still delivered a remarkable 18 assists, 15 of them in the Bundesliga. Only Bayern’s Michael Olise (22) and Luiz Diaz (17) produced more. His relentless running and fighting spirit stayed at an elite level, even as his limitations in European competition were occasionally exposed. Over 3,067 minutes he remained a key creative outlet. A “2.5” rating captures both his importance and his ceiling.

On the opposite side, the Swede who spent the first half of the season playing almost non-stop ended the campaign with the third-highest minutes in the squad: 45 matches, 3,462 minutes, four goals and two assists. He covered ground tirelessly and showed strong tactical discipline, yet going forward he was often too quiet. The calendar year 2026 turned into a mixed bag, and his “4” rating underlines the need for improvement.

Then there is the case of the €25 million full-back, last season’s “problem child” who vowed to back up his words with performances. For a while, he did. In the first half of the campaign he showed clear progress, cut down on errors and committed fully, even if defensive duels still exposed him. Six goal contributions – three goals, three assists in 27 games and 1,501 minutes – are respectable. After the winter break, though, Ryerson’s form pushed him to the bench, and with it came the familiar feeling that his hefty fee remains unjustified. A “4.5” rating underlines the disappointment.

Jobe Bellingham’s first full season at this level showed the size of the leap from England’s second tier. Early on, he played within himself, often taking the safe option and looking shaky defensively. Gradually, he grew into the role, claimed a starting spot and began 29 of his 45 appearances. Over 2,665 minutes he contributed four assists but no goals, mirroring Ryerson’s barren tally. A “3.5” rating fits a season that moved from timid to competent, but not yet commanding.

Attack: Brandt’s Output, Adeyemi’s Slump, Beier’s Rise

In the final third, Dortmund lived on streaks.

Julian Brandt produced 11 goals and four assists in 41 games, with only Guirassy scoring more. Fifteen direct goal involvements from just 24 starts is an impressive return for a player whose contract the club chose not to extend. Across 2,203 minutes, he showed flashes of his class without ever sustaining top form over long stretches. In his seventh season at the club, that inconsistency still lingers. A “2.5” rating reflects the blend of productivity and frustration – and leaves Dortmund with a sizeable hole to fill.

Karim Adeyemi’s year split in two. Before the turn of the year he looked dangerous, contributing to nine goals and hinting at the player many expected to light up the World Cup. Then 2026 arrived, and his form collapsed. He started only six matches in the second half of the season, spent a month injured, and yet still finished as joint third-top scorer alongside Beier with 10 goals, plus six assists, in 39 games and 1,836 minutes. Disciplinary issues on and off the pitch earlier in the campaign only deepened the sense of waste. A “4” rating marks a season that promised far more than it delivered.

The club’s big attacking gamble, Guirassy, moved from unstoppable to infuriating. After contributing to 43 goals in 45 matches last season, he dropped to 28 goal involvements in 46 this time. The raw numbers are still strong: 22 goals, six assists, more than double Brandt’s tally. Yet the story of his year is that brutal drought – just one goal in 13 Bundesliga games – and a series of flashpoints: a penalty row in Turin, refusing to shake hands with Kovac, poor body language when things went against him. A “2.5” rating captures the tension between output and attitude.

Alongside them, Beier emerged as Dortmund’s revelation of the second half of the season. Six goals, seven assists, 10 goals and 10 assists overall in 44 matches and 2,736 minutes, often from roles that did not suit him best. Whether used as part of a front two, as a deep-lying striker or increasingly as a left midfielder, he influenced games with energy and intelligence. His surge in form has almost certainly pushed him into contention for the DFB’s World Cup squad. To stay there, he must prove this was a new baseline, not just a hot streak. Rating: “2.5”.

The new striker, arriving injured and playing catch-up all year, flickered rather than burned. Limited mostly to short cameos, he still managed to show why Dortmund brought him in: aggressive movement, energy, a willingness to stretch defences. When he did start, though, the cutting edge deserted him. Three goals and seven assists from 39 games and 1,181 minutes are respectable, but not enough for a leading forward. His “3.5” rating says it plainly: the platform is there, now the numbers must follow.

The Nearly Men and the Next Wave

Not every signing or prospect found traction.

Carney Chukwuemeka’s season mirrored Couto’s in one uncomfortable way: a high transfer fee for a modest return. Across 38 matches, he averaged just 32 minutes per appearance, starting only ten times. His first-ever full 90 minutes in professional football did not come until mid-April at Hoffenheim. Three goals, two assists and 1,225 minutes are thin returns for a player with such obvious technical gifts. His lack of fitness remains the central issue; until he builds real stamina, his “4.5” rating will hover over him.

On the opposite end of the career arc, a 34-year-old creator finished second among Dortmund’s outfielders for assists in the 2024/25 campaign with 15, yet spent much of this season watching from the bench. He started just eight times, failed to convince when given opportunities, and by winter opted for a return to Brighton. Sixteen appearances, 732 minutes, no goals, two assists and a “4.5” – a frustrating final act.

Then came the spark of something new. Inacio, just 18, drew glowing praise from Kovac – “sees things that others don't see even at 30” – and backed it up with his early cameos. Seven appearances, 383 minutes, one goal, no assists, but constant threat between the lines, sharp movement off the ball and a knack for appearing in dangerous pockets. With a touch more precision he could already have three or four goals. He goes unrated, but not unnoticed. Next season, expectation will follow him onto the pitch.

At the margins, the club’s depth remained largely unused. Nine players – reserve keepers Alexander Meyer, Patrick Drewes and Silas Ostrzinski; defenders Yannik Lührs, Danylo Krevsun and Elias Benkara; midfielders Julien Duranville, Giovanni Reyna and Mussa Kaba – were named in matchday squads without playing a single minute. Cole Campbell (16 minutes), Almugera Kabar (14) and Mathis Albert (2) were handed only the briefest of debuts.

A Squad at a Crossroads

Strip the season back to its essentials and a pattern emerges. Kobel and Anton gave Dortmund a spine. Nmecha and Brandt supplied control and end product. Beier burst forward, Guirassy oscillated between ruthless and remote, while Adeyemi and Sabitzer drifted through campaigns that should have defined them.

There were hints of a new generation in Reggiani and Inacio, and a painful reminder of how unforgiving this level can be for others. Contracts are expiring, loanees have gone back, and high-priced signings still owe this club a season worthy of their fees.

The question now is simple and unforgiving: does this squad take the next step – or does another year slip by with the same familiar regrets?