Borussia Dortmund Ratings ai??i?? Lewandowski 9/10, Hummels 6.5/10

By Aditya Balaram
11 years Ago

Borussia Dortmund were unable to win any silverware this season but were nothing short of brilliant, especially in the UEFA Champions League. JA?rgen Klopp managed to integrate new signing Marco Reus into the setup with utmost ease following his arrival in the summer. Reusai??i?? fellow attackers Robert Lewandowski and Mario GAi??tze built on their brilliance from the previous year, while Ilkay GA?ndogan came of age as well. On the defensive front Dortmund werenai??i??t as impressive. All in all, this was a top season for one of footballai??i??s most exciting teams.

Roman Weidenfeller ai??i?? 8/10

He may not be a part of the endless list of immensely talented young goalkeepers in Germany, but the 32-year-old custodian was easily one of the best in the Bundesliga. Often left stranded by his defense, Weidenfeller had one of his best Ai??seasons for Dortmund this campaign. His performance in the Champions League final was a fitting end to the season on a personal note. Were it not for Weidenfellerai??i??s heroics Dortmund may not have held the game all the way to the 88th minute.

Lukas Piszczek ai??i?? 6.5/10

The Polish right back took the world by storm in the previous campaign, but was a shadow of his former self this season. Nursing an injury for most of the season and delaying surgery due to the absence of an able replacement for himself, Piszczek was never at full fitness. This took its toll on the right backai??i??s defensive abilities and trademark forward forays, rendering him a quiet and average right back. Credit must be given for his grit and determination for biting through the pain of the injury and serving his club all season long.

Neven Subotic ai??i?? 7/10

Dortmundai??i??s defensive ability surely hasnai??i??t been their strong point this season. In this shaky defensive unit, Subotic has held his ground and made up for the frailties of both the central defensive partners that he has had. Lacking in ball playing abilities, but making up for it with his commendable positioning and tackling in the back four, Subotic has regained his spot as the leader in Dortmundai??i??s defense.

Mats Hummels ai??i?? 6.5/10

Fitness was an annoyance for Hummels this season and so was his decision making. Like Piszczek, Hummels was unable to replicate his brilliant form from last season. His ball playing skills were once again on show, his attacking abilities rarely failing him but his defending left a lot to be desired. With age on his side and ability in abundance, Hummels should improve in the next few seasons.

Marcel Schmelzer ai??i?? 7/10

Always the defender under fire, Schmelzer has come of age this season. He still may not be the one to turn to at times of need but he has shown much more consistency. His defending has clearly improved and his ever impressive attacking has been a pleasure to watch. Schmelzer added to his worth with that crucial goal against Real Madrid in the group stage of the Champions League.

Felipe Santana ai??i?? 6.5/10

Not a regular feature for the first half of the season, Santana had a major role to play once Hummelsai??i?? injury woes began to trouble Dortmund. Santana was by no means a defensive improvement over the German international but proved his worth at some of the most crucial moments. A thunderous header against Shakhtar and a stoppage time winner against Malaga from Santana ensured Dortmundai??i??s passage to the Champions League final.

Sebastian Kehl ai??i?? 6.5/10

The captain brought the much needed experience into an otherwise young Dortmund side, aiding both Sven Bender and GA?ndogan ably in midfield. Kehl may not have the flash of most of the other Dortmund starlets but he almost always got the job done with his timely tackles and roughhousing in midfield. On the whole a decent season from Kehl and one that should keep Klopp fairly happy with his leader.

Sven Bender ai??i?? 7/10

Injury prone but a step ahead of Kehl when on the field, Bender had yet another respectable season in yellow and black. Unlike the more seasoned Kehl, Bender offers more tenacity and the ability to push forward more often. The only downside to Benderai??i??s season was his inability to perform in big games. Averaging at almost four tackles per game, Bender topped the charts for Dortmund with respect to this statistic. Another good season and Bender may well be pushing for Sami Khediraai??i??s spot in the German national team.

Ilkay GA?ndogan ai??i?? 8/10

The heart of Dortmundai??i??s midfield and the man who runs the game from deep, GA?ndogan was by far the best deep midfielder at Dortmund this season. Never aiding too much in the final third but always hanging just on the edge, GA?ndogan was a regular initiator of Dortmundai??i??s attacks. His great dribbling and incredible passing were most crucial in Dortmundai??i??s campaign and there is no surprise that the big boys such as Barcelona are looking to sign the 22-year-old.

Nuri Sahin ai??i?? 6.5/10

Far from the Sahin of 2010, he played a backup role after returning to the club on loan during the second half of the season. Getting only a handful of appearances towards the end of the season when there was nothing much to fight for, Sahin did a respectable job in ensuring that Dortmund finished above Leverkusen, especially with the main eleven being saved for the Champions League games.

Mortiz Leitner ai??i?? 6/10

Backup to the midfield until Sahin arrived, Leitner was called upon fairly regularly early on in the season when the likes of Bender and GA?ndogan were injured. At the ripe age of twenty and with Dortmundai??i??s starting eleven already supported ably in midfield, Leitner was never going to be expected to do wonders. A decent season from a player with immense potential.

Jakub Blaszczykowski ai??i?? 7.5/10

While the likes of Reus and GAi??tze were setting the Champions League ablaze, Blaszczykowski was a key component in Dortmundai??i??s Bundesliga campaign. Netting eleven goals and providing ten assists, the Polish captain had a remarkable Bundesliga season. His Champions League performances were not up to the mark but were it not for him Dortmund may well have lost second place to Leverkusen on the domestic front.

Mario GAi??tze ai??i?? 8/10

The Bavarian born starlet finally came of age this season, showing the football world what he is capable of. The departure of Shinji Kagawa and the arrival of Reus saw GAi??tze shift to a central role in midfield and he was nothing short of a success there. With sixteen goals and twenty one assists in all competitions, GAi??tze has been one of Germanyai??i??s most prolific attackers and it comes as no surprise that Germanyai??i??s biggest club has stolen him from the nearest rivals.

Marco Reus ai??i?? 9/10

The former German Player of the Year came to then champions Dortmund surrounded by immense hype and was brought in to fill the shoes of the hugely influential Shinji Kagawa. Reus has only taken the Dortmund attack a step further following his arrival. Seamlessly fitting into Kloppai??i??s system, Reus formed one of the most delightful partnerships in world football with GAi??tze. Reus managed nineteen goals and sixteen assists this season, showing that he can do more than just fill in for Kagawa and will be a key component in Dortmundai??i??s plans next season.

Kevin Grosskreutz ai??i?? 6/10

The local boy will be loved by fans irrespective of his performances and ability just because of the immense heart that he shows when given a chance to play. But heart just isnai??i??t enough in this incredibly competitive environment. Playing as second fiddle to the other three attacking midfielders, Grosskreutz failed to take any chances given to him this season, but his versatility did come to some use as Klopp could use him at both the right and left back positions.

Robert Lewandowski ai??i?? 9/10

Undoubtedly Dortmundai??i??s biggest star this season, Lewandowski took the world by storm with his brilliant pressing, phenomenal strength, deft touches and keen sense for goal. Missing out on the kicker TorjAi??gerkanone will come as a slight blow to his otherwise impeccable season but his additional performances in Europe probably have to make him arguably the best marksman in the world. His departure might prove to be the first one that Dortmund may never be able to deal with.

Julian Schieber ai??i?? 5.5/10

Brought in to shore up an incredibly thin strike force, Schieber proved to be a wasteful investment for Dortmund. Schieber was unable to fit into Kloppai??i??s system of high pressing and rapid attacks, but yet another season at the club may help the former Stuttgart man. Time is on his side but a repeat of this woeful campaign will spell disaster for the 24-year-old.

Categories: Borussia Dortmund, Features, German Bundesliga
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