“In our very first year, we went straight in and won it. That was extraordinary. Now we’ll see how far we can go this time,” says Thomas Broich, Sporting Director of the academy, looking ahead to the next international challenge in England.
Only the second German team to win the title
Borussia became only the second German team after FC Bayern Munich (2018/19) to win the tournament at the first attempt since it was introduced in the 2014/15 season. Particularly remarkable: Dortmund’s team was often younger than their opponents. In the final, BVB’s average age was just over 19, while Real Madrid’s was a good 21. That gives hope for the mission of defending the title.
The schedule in Group C
On their targeted path toward the knockout stage, BVB will face only English U21 opponents this time:
27.08 Fulham FC 15.12 Aston Villa 18.12 Leicester City 21.12 Nottingham Forest
The PLIC format: 32 teams – 16 English youth sides and 16 international top clubs – first compete against each other in the group stage and then in the knockout rounds. The top two teams in each group advance to the quarter-finals. If teams are level on points, the standings are decided first by goal difference, then goals scored, and finally by a separate fair play ranking.
Rios rallies his team
Daniel Rios, who will be in charge of the Dortmund side for the opener in England, is preparing his team for the demanding tasks ahead. “What will change is that opponents will be even more motivated against the defending champions,” believes the U23 coach. However, he does not see the status of defending champions as a burden: “It would be a shame if the team went into this match tense. We should enjoy it. I hope the boys embrace this situation. It’s a privilege to go there as the defending champions.”
At Dortmund’s academy, the PLIC is seen above all as a valuable development platform. The international-level matchups give the young players additional experience. “We definitely have four top-class matches in the group stage. We’re looking forward to that. The boys have the opportunity to show themselves and take the next step,” says Rios.
Strong record from last season
A look back at last season shows that the competition recently became a success story for BVB. After wins against Leeds United (3-0), West Ham United (2-1), and Sunderland AFC (3-1), as well as a defeat to Manchester United (0-2), Dortmund secured top spot in the group. A 2-0 win over Everton FC followed in the quarter-finals, before Real Sociedad were also beaten 2-0 in the semi-finals. In the final against Real Madrid, BVB ultimately crowned their debut PLIC season with the title.
The squad
BVB traditionally relies on a mix of U19 and U23 players. However, because the U19s are also playing away at MSV Duisburg in the DFB youth round on Wednesday, Dortmund’s squad this time consists mainly of U23 players.
The team is supported by four players who were recently part of the senior squad: Mathis Albert, Kaua Prates, Luca Reggiani, and Justin Lerma. They are joined by U19 players Luke Fahrenhorst and Jan-Luca Riedl. Beni Ngyombo, Felix Paschke, and Pharell Kegni are unavailable due to injury.
The age rule stipulates that, with the exception of two outfield players, all outfield players and the goalkeeper must have been born after 1 January 2005.
This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇩🇪 here.