Borussia Dortmund’s bright start to the season is already being clouded by old problems. There are lapses in key moments exposing a lack of leadership just three games into the Bundesliga campaign.
The Black and Yellows, who host Wolfsburg on Sunday, have already shown a worrying tendency to collapse late in matches.
In their season opener at St Pauli, Dortmund let a 3-1 lead slip in the final minutes. They conceded twice in quick succession before rookie defender Filippo Mane was sent off.
Tuesday’s Champions League clash at Juventus provided a painful repeat. Dortmund led three times, only to concede twice in the dying moments and settle for a 4-4 draw.
Tensions within the squad are also surfacing. During a recent Bundesliga match, striker Serhou Guirassy and defender Ramy Bensebaini argued over who should take a late penalty. This forced head coach Niko Kovac to step in.
The recurring criticism remains the same: Dortmund are once again undermined by a lack of maturity and leadership on the pitch.