Bundesliga 2022/23: How Dortmund dominated the Revierderby and overcame Schalke’s dogged defensive display – tactical analysis

The Revierderby is one of the most eagerly anticipated derbies in Europe. With the fans providing an incredible atmosphere with their flags and flares, Borussia Dortmund’s Yellow Wall at the Westfalenstadion was a spectacle as the players walked out for the 99^th Bundesliga Ruhr Derby. 1,057 days since the last Revierderby with full fan capacity, Borussia Dortmund came out on top to beat Schalke 04 1-0.

Prior to the derby, Dortmund experienced a week of suffering. Last weekend’s 3-0 loss at RB Leipzig against their former manager Marco Rose was an abysmal performance, with BVB unable to cope with their opponents high pressure and verticality and failing to muster a shot on target for the first time in three years. Travelling to Premier League champions Manchester City on matchday two of the UEFA Champions League, Edin Terzić deployed a different approach.

With a much more defensive 4-3-3, utilising the central midfielders to drop and control the half-spaces alongside City’s underlapping runs, Dortmund took the lead with a Jude Bellingham header from the second phase of a corner. However, Terzić undid BVB’s hard work with one major substitution. By bringing in Nico Schlotterbeck to shift into a 3-4-3, Dortmund couldn’t put pressure on the ball on the edge of the box and allowed City to have a 2vs1 in wide areas. Pep Guardiola’s side punished Terzić, with goals from John Stones and former Dortmund superstar Erling Haaland.

Schalke, on the other hand, had just picked up their first win of the Bundesliga campaign with a 3-1 victory against VfL Bochum. After a disastrous season ending in relegation in 2020/21, Die Königsblauen achieved a bounce-back promotion and were crowned champions of the 2. Bundesliga. Under Frank Kramer, Schalke look to be more organised than their last Bundesliga season.

In this tactical analysis, we will look at how Borussia Dortmunds alterations overcame Schalke’s defensive structure, with the wide areas key to BVB’s penetration.

Lineups

With Gregor Kobel out injured, Borussia Dortmund gave 31-year-old Alexander Meyer his second ever Bundesliga start, with his first coming in the 3-0 loss in Leipzig. The experienced Mats Hummels was partnering with German international Nico Schlotterbeck in a right and left-footed centre-back pairing. They were flanked by Belgium right-back Thomas Meunier and the impressively versatile Marius Wolf. Midfielder Salih Özcan, a summer signing from FC Köln, continued his strong performances in helping to unleash English wonderkid Jude Bellingham. Former Blackburn Rovers loanee Anthony Modeste led the line for Dortmund ahead of an attacking trio consisting of Julian Brandt, Marco Reus and the direct Donyell Malen.

Schalke were unchanged from their 3-1 win against VfL Bochum at the Veltins-Arena. With 16 first-team arrivals in the transfer window, this Schalke squad looks different to their promotion squad, especially in the defence. Hertha BSC loanee Alexander Schwolow started between the sticks behind a centre-back duo of Liverpool loanee Sepp van den Berg and Maya Yoshida, a recent arrival from Sampdoria. Henning Matriciani started at right-back for the second time in his Bundesliga career, meanwhile, Tobias Mohr was deployed at left-back, following his move after an impressive season with FC Heidenheim in the 2. Bundesliga. Florian Flick was alongside Tom Krauß in Schalke’s double pivot, with Dominik Drexler in the attacking midfield role. Captain and striker Simon Terodde was flanked by Marius Bülter and Jordan Larsson on the wings.

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