3 reasons why Borussia Dortmund are dark horses in the Champions League this season
Lucien Favre's Borussia Dortmund have been a revelation this Season taking both European and German Football by a storm. Dortmund are on top of the Bundesliga table, four points clear off second-placed Borussia Monchengladbach, while showing similar solidity in the Champions League, fighting off Atletico Madrid to take the Top spot in Group A courtesy a superior goal difference.
So, here's why Borussia Dortmund shouldn't be taken lightly this season and why they have all the tools to go all out this Season.
#1 The right mix of experience and youth
Borussia Dortmund have a lot of experience in players like captain Marco Reus, Omer Toprak, Axel Witsel and Mario Gotze, while also having veterans like Marcel Schmelzer and Lukasz Piszczek to call on from the bench.
One aspect of Dortmund that's got everybody excited this season has got to be their youthful squad. The "Die Borussen" have some extremely talented young players that are turning some heads this Season.
English teenage sensation Jadon Sancho, who is gradually solidifying his place for both country and club, has hit the ground running with 5 Goals and 7 assists in just 17 appearances out of which Sancho started the game only 8 times. Full-backs Raphaël Guerreiro and Achraf Hakimi have looked impressive keeping Marcel Schmelzer and Lukasz Piszczek out of the starting XI.
American youngster Christian Pulisic who is linked to a different Premier League club every week has been in and out of the side this season but has shown some flair whenever he's come on the pitch.
Furthermore, Dortmund have always known to be a club that grooms young talent and the likes of Mahmoud Dahoud, Marius Wolf, Julien Weigl and Maximilian Phillip have also chipped in with one goal apiece in the Bundesliga.
Centre-backs Manuel Akanji and Abdou Diallo have looked particularly impressive averaging 4.3 and 4.4 clearances a game respectively. Dortmund really seems to have got the right balance this season and if they can continue to show the same level of consistency, we're all in for a treat.