The Dortmund Disrespect Needs to Stop | Kane’s "Ballon d'or-worthy" Record & Gladbach’s New Coach

Jan and Markus Fjørtoft review the latest Bundesliga action, including Bayern’s seven-goal demolition of Union Berlin, Alexander Blessin’s expected arrival at Borussia Mönchengladbach and Borussia Dortmund’s perfect start under Niko Kovač.

Dortmund continue to be met with lazy “let’s pretend they’re good again” takes, despite averaging 2.17 points per game across Kovač’s 52 Bundesliga matches. Last season’s 73 points represented their fifth-highest total of the three-point era, while they also produced the league’s best defensive record. At what point does the evidence outweigh the reputation?

We also examine Florian Wirtz’s difficult start at Liverpool and the growing criticism surrounding the German international. Is he genuinely struggling, or are people rushing to judge a young player adapting to a new league, a different team and enormous expectations?

Finally, we turn to the Ballon d’Or debate. How much should individual numbers matter compared with trophies and decisive performances in the biggest matches? Harry Kane and Erling Haaland enter the conversation alongside the continuing influence of Lionel Messi’s legacy, as we examine the sporting merit, reputation and politics that shape football’s most prestigious individual award.

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Timestamps:

0:00 Intro

1:57 — Why Wirtz Is Struggling

8:32 — Bayern 7–0 Union Berlin

8:59 — Ballon d’Or Contenders

15:38 — Is Olise a Contender?

16:08 — Can Dortmund Challenge Bayern?

21:03 — Frankfurt vs Freiburg

22:49 — Gladbach’s Defensive Crisis

24:36 — Bundesliga Coaching Changes

26:29 — Bremen’s Comeback Win

28:04 — Leverkusen vs Leipzig

29:26 — Paderborn’s First Win

31:07 — Germany’s International Break