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Wolfsburg (AP) - You can hardly imagine: the Champions League without Erling Haaland.
The most important club competition in European football without what is currently probably the greatest talent for strikers in the world.
Since in times of a pandemic even clubs like FC Barcelona or Manchester City are unlikely to pay a three-digit million amount for the 20-year-old Norwegian, Borussia Dortmund may now be moving into the Champions League in the "Haalandischen locomotive mode" (Süddeutsche Zeitung).
In the important 2-0 (1-0) win at VfL Wolfsburg, Haaland scored both goals on Saturday.
Dortmund's eleven point deficit on third in the table has shrunk to two points within three weeks.
Eintracht Frankfurt in fourth place is only one point away.
"I think we have an advantage psychologically," said BVB captain Marco Reus about the energy that this catch-up chase is apparently currently unleashing.
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In any case, it is noticeable: Exactly the willpower and exactly the ambition that this team was always denied when it came to challenging FC Bayern Munich, at least since the 1: 2 against Frankfurt in the race for a Champions League Place.
Mats Hummels was missing banned?
Jude Bellingham flew off the pitch early (59th minute / yellow-red)?
No matter.
"We fought back with everything we had," said coach Edin Terzic.
A lot depends on reaching fourth place in Dortmund.
With its expensive squad and the massive losses from the Corona crisis, Borussia certainly needs the income from the Champions League more urgently than the Volkswagen Club from Wolfsburg.
In addition, BVB is always about offering its many highly talented players a sporting perspective.
"We talk about Erling Haaland all season," said Terzic.
«A few weeks ago I was constantly asked the following question: What is the matter with Erling?
Does he still identify with his task?
Has the story with his advisor flying around the world influenced him a bit?
Is his head elsewhere?
I think today he gave the appropriate answer.
He decided the game for us. "
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After this game, Wolfsburg managing director Jörg Schmadtke said almost defiantly: “We are still two points ahead.
And when I look at the rest of the Dortmund program and ours, I dare to doubt that they can still make up for the two points. "
That sounded a bit like whistling in the woods, because both competitors are still playing against RB Leipzig and Mainz 05. The "Wolves" will face the Europa League candidate Union Berlin in just under two weeks, while BVB will continue on the last day of the match meets the Europa League candidate Bayer Leverkusen.
Wolfsburg coach Oliver Glasner pointed out a major difference between BVB and VfL on Saturday: the experience at this high level.
His team lacks them.
In Dortmund, on the other hand, even 20-year-old Haaland and 21-year-old Jadon Sancho have played several games against Manchester City or Paris Saint-Germain, which were exactly about the “special situation of being doomed to victory “As Reus put it.
«We put pressure on, we don't give up and we want to win every game.
Then I think it’s enough, ”said Manuel Akanji.
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© dpa-infocom, dpa: 210425-99-344219 / 2
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