Midfield selection headache fuels unbeaten start

BVB will consider themselves unfortunate not to have come away with all three points from their most recent outing away at Juventus in the UEFA Champions League, being pegged back to a 4-4 draw after taking a two-goal lead into injury time.

On the scoresheet in that game was Felix Nmecha, whose lovely strike in the second half marked his second of the campaign – only Guirassy has more for the Dortmund so far this season.

Nmecha was joined in the middle of the park by Marcel Sabitzer, who provided the assist for Yan Couto’s effort. It was a strong showing by the duo - and it needed to be - as they look to hold on to their places in the starting line-up amongst stiff competition for places.

Jobe Bellingham, Julian Brandt and Pascal Groß were all introduced after the interval, while Carney Chukwuemeka was an unused substitute. Meanwhile, club captain Emre Can and Salih Özcan were not part of the matchday squad as they continue their recovery from injury.

Whichever way you look at it, Dortmund are blessed with flexibility in the middle of the park. In Bellingham and Chukwuemeka, Kovač has two up-and-coming talents at his disposal who have the spark to get the crowd on their feet.

Watch: Dortmund's crazy transfer window

The former was an integral part of Sunderland’s promotion to the English Premier League last term, while the latter was a top Dortmund target after impressing during his loan spell during the second half of last season from Chelsea – a deal which has since been made permanent.

Bellingham, and to a lesser extent Chukwuemeka, still need time to adapt to Germany and the Bundesliga, which means they are not yet ready to start week in, week out, or even every few days with Champions League football now.

However, Dortmund can call upon experience in Groß and Sabitzer to not only lead the team on the pitch, but also provide lessons for younger players of it. This is Groß’s 18th season in professional football, and he continues to play an important role at Signal Iduna Park.

He remains a creative hub even at the age of 34, managing a joint-highest 10 Bundesliga assists at the club in 2024/25. Groß also spent seven years in England with Brighton & Hove Albion, meaning he can relate to the change in culture Bellingham and Chukwuemeka are currently going through.

Meanwhile, Sabitzer has picked up plenty of experience at the highest level, amassing silverware along the way to boot. The 31-year-old has won trophies in three different countries, representing big-name oufits such as Bayern Munich and Manchester United.

Watch: The best of Sabitzer

There are few players available to Kovač who are as used to the scrutiny and pressure that comes with playing at the highest level as the Austrian, especially when you consider his almost 100 international caps and over 80 European club appearances.

Speaking of experience, Brandt has got it in spades. The No.10 has 356 Bundesliga games under his belt across BVB and his former club Bayer Leverkusen and has shown no signs of slowing as he enters his eighth season as a Dortmund player.

The U19 Fritz Walter silver medalist tied Groß’s 10 assists last term, whilst also contributing an additional five goals. Like Sabitzer too, the Germany international has multiple trophies to his name, but going one step further by winning them clad in Dortmund’s black and yellow as well.

With Can and Özcan still to return, and Kovač yet to select the same midfield so far this season in the Bundesliga, the Croatian is clearly suffering from the best kind of selection headache.

With that, one thing becomes certain: these eight midfielders will all feel they’re in with a shout for a place at the heart of Dortmund’s team this campaign.