1. Timo Werner is not (yet) a striker of international stature

RB Leipzig coach Ralf Rangnick had concocted a special plan before the 0-1 defeat against Borussia Dortmund. Timo Werner was not used in the Storm Center, but positioned himself on the left wing. With his pace, he should get behind the Dortmund defense as soon as their full-backs were moved up.

In theory, this was a good plan. In practice, however, he failed. The weaknesses of Werner showed up in this game: his first contact with the ball is often unclean, hardly able to use his high crossings. So its effect on left-wing exterminated. Even when he emerged more often in the second round in the center, he remained hapless. For the eighth time in his career Werner met BVB, for the eighth time he remained without a goal. Against Bayern Munich, he remained goalless in six of eight games. He does not meet top teams.

Currently haggling Werner in Leipzig for a new contract. Some people whisper, he flirts with a change to a top club. For a club with international ambitions Werner must, however, increase. His decision-making and his technique in tight situations is not at the level that Liverpool, Bayern or even Dortmund demand.

2. The Dortmund defensive wins the championship

The defensive wins championships - a cliché, for whose use one would have to throw five euros into the phraseshell at the TV regulars 'double pass'. But the statistics are inexorable: In the 54 seasons of the Bundesliga 34 times that team won the championship title, which received the fewest goals. The team that scored the most goals scored the championship trophy in only 27 seasons.

Everyone is raving about Dortmund's offensive. But the Defensive Pope Lucien Favre has also developed the defensive of the Dortmund. His team defends closely, moves compactly, leaves the opponent hardly spaces. Axel Witsel and Thomas Delaney dominate the center. The outside strikers work conscientiously back, even dribble artist Jadon Sancho conquered six balls against Leipzig.

Nevertheless, BVB allowed on Saturday evening unusually many chances to score. However, it was mainly play errors in the game play guilty - mistakes that avoided Dortmund, if the opponent less pressure than the pressing strong Leipzig. From the game, the BVB rarely opened spaces.

After eighteen games, BVB conceded eighteen goals. This, together with Leipzig and Borussia Mönchengladbach, gives them the best defensive value in the league - and is a weighty indicator that Dortmund actually wins the championship. Like 34 defensively strong teams in front of them.

3. Roman Bürki is the guarantor for Dortmund's strong defense

Last season Borussia Dortmund promoted Matthias Kleinsteiber goalkeeper coach of the first team. A year later, the club bought Marwin Hitz as the second keeper, the goalkeeper Roman Bürki should make pressure.

In the closed world of professional football, it is hardly possible to seriously evaluate how these two events are related to the performance increase of BVB goalkeeper Roman Bürki. Too little is known from the training routine of the Bundesliga. However, listeners in Dortmund often get the same answers: Kleinsteiber is one of the most modern goalkeeping coaches in the Bundesliga. Hitz, on the other hand, is a training fanatic who rarely plays, but ensures that Bürki has to give everything in every training session so as not to fall off.

Best goalkeepers of the 18th matchday

It is indisputable: Bürki is experiencing the best season of his career. When the stable defense of the Dortmund wobbles, Bürki shines. For him, the SPIX statistics show sixteen parades of the heaviest category and 22 parades of the second highest category this season. For every goal he holds on average 2.4 heavy shots. Only Gladbach Yann Sommer (3.1) and Peter Gulacsi (2.5) have better values ​​in the league.

Against Leipzig saved the Swiss with three top parades his team the victory - once again. If the defense actually wins championships, Bürki is Dortmund's most important player of the season.