In the 2012-2013 season, the young players of Borussia Dortmund caused a sensation, storming their way into the finals of the UEFA Champions League. At the time, Marco Reus had just joined the team for one season, taking off swiftly like a small rocket just being launched. Fast forward to the 2023-2024 season, Borussia Dortmund has once again made a strong push into the Champions League final, but this time, Reus is a loyal veteran on the cusp of ending his 12-year-long career with the black and yellows. For Reus, who deeply loves this team, it may not be possible to have the perfect ending at Dortmund that he wished for. Returning to the Champions League final after 11 years may mark a dazzling full stop to his deep affection.
Personnel change, but he remains constant. We reminisce about those years – Weidenfeller, Hummels, Subotic, Piszczek, Schmelzer, Sven Bender, Gündoğan, Götze, Reus, Kuba, Lewandowski… Many of these names still delight the fans. Many people started to like Dortmund during that era; however, 11 years later, how many continue to steadfastly support the team? If some have not continued to follow, it is understandable. After all, what may have made you fall in love with that team could have been Klopp’s charisma, Götze’s skill, or Lewandowski’s heroics. Most of the stars of that time have left or had left the team, but throughout these 11 years, the one constant has been number 11 – Marco Reus.
Even if you’re not a die-hard fan of the yellow and black, if you still follow this team, it’s likely because of top-class players like Reus. His stellar teammates have taken their bows, one by one: Götze, Lewandowski, Gündoğan, Hummels, Mkhitaryan, Aubameyang, Dembélé, Sancho, Haaland… They’ve won league titles and European championships with other clubs. Last summer, Bellingham joined Real Madrid and quickly clinched the La Liga title in less than a season. During the 12 years Reus has been at Dortmund, the team has only won two DFB-Pokal cups and three DFL-Supercups.
In this complex world of football, players who receive widespread support are few and far between, and Reus belongs to this rare breed. People love him not only for his exceptional skill on the ball but also for his character and the regrets he’s experienced. It’s these missed opportunities that make people wish even more that good fortune will smile upon him.
In the past week, many might still be thinking that Reus’s run of championships with Dortmund might have come to an end. Even though Dortmund has made it to the champions league semi-finals, bringing home the “big-eared trophy” still seems like an elusive dream. However, with the final now within reach, why not dare to dream?
A similar journey to advancement, in the 2012-2013 season, under Klopp’s leadership, Dortmund was placed in what was called the “group of death” with Real Madrid, Manchester City, and Ajax. In the spotlight, this vibrant young team performed a miracle, achieving an impressive record of 4 wins and 2 draws, topping Real Madrid and proudly clinching first place in the group.
And in the 2023-2024 season, they once again faced a similar challenge, sharing a group with strong opponents like Paris Saint-Germain, AC Milan, and Newcastle United. As the matches progressed, Borussia Dortmund again proved their strength and resilience.
Although Borussia Dortmund did not face football powerhouses like Real Madrid this season, their group was still full of challenges. In fact, the difficulty to advance this time around may even surpass that of 11 years prior. However, the seemingly least conspicuous Borussia Dortmund once again advanced to the next round as the leader of their group.
Looking back at the Champions League knockout stages 11 years ago, Borussia Dortmund successively defeated Shakhtar Donetsk and Málaga to reach the semifinals. In the semifinals, they met their group stage opponents—Real Madrid—again. Despite low expectations, they managed to win surprisingly and entered the finals. This season, they once again overcame PSV Eindhoven and Atletico Madrid, reached the semifinals, and defeated their group stage rivals Paris Saint-Germain in the semis.
From a scientific perspective, this year’s Borussia Dortmund team is different from that of 11 years ago. The former team, before winning the Champions League, was a Bundesliga champion twice over, with a group of young core players, and their rapid style of play was widely loved. Today’s team has not yet shown the ability to take the Bundesliga title, the main lineup is not considered young, and their dominance in matches is not as it once was.
However, from an esoteric point of view, Borussia Dortmund’s last two Champions League finals journeys share astounding similarities. Similarly placed in the harsh “group of death,” they also advanced as the group leader. In the group of death, they faced a super team with a luxurious lineup (Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain), a rapidly rising “newcomer” (Manchester City and Newcastle United), and a once peak yet still deeply rooted traditional powerhouse (Ajax and AC Milan).
In the knockout stages, they both eliminated a non-top five league team (Shakhtar Donetsk and PSV Eindhoven), then in subsequent matches played heart-stopping comebacks against Spanish teams (Málaga and Atlético Madrid), successfully advancing. And this time, the final is also at Wembley Stadium, and the opponent may still be Bayern Munich.
Marco Reus made 13 appearances in the 2012-2013 Champions League season, all starts, scoring 4 goals and contributing 2 assists. In the 2023-2024 Champions League season, he has currently made 12 appearances, with only 5 being starts, scoring 2 goals and making 1 assist. Nevertheless, he is expected not to start in the final. According to the current strength comparison, his path to the championship still seems to be fraught with difficulties. But from another perspective, this chance to win the Champions League title is an additional surprise in itself.
Whether Borussia Dortmund can lift the final trophy or not, this is destined to be Marco Reus’s farewell battle. Whether he can start, make an appearance, or lift the championship trophy, he will remain the focus of this final.
