There was no fault to be found in Klopp's decision.
If Ye Chen were Dortmund's head coach, he would also selectively sacrifice the league at this point.
After all, it's difficult for players to reach their peak physical condition and form within three days, and injuries are also a concern...
For instance, if Shinji Kagawa plays as an attacking midfielder and gets injured during the match, what happens then?
Would they still be able to compete in the Champions League against Marseille?
Handing over one of their core players just like that?
So, Kagawa absolutely cannot play!
In addition to him, PeriÅ¡iÄ, Lewandowski, and Götze are also resting...
The attacking line composed of these four players is the foundation of Dortmund's dominance in the Bundesliga!
Of course, Ye Chen is an exception. He joined the team too late to be registered for the Champions League.
Besides the forward line, adjustments are also needed in midfield and defense.
However, even Klopp couldn't help but sigh at these changes.
Buvac, standing next to him, spoke directly, "Jürgen, stop overthinking. Losing one league match isn't a big deal. So what if we temporarily give up the top spot? We'll reclaim it once we bounce back!"
Klopp shook his head. "What I'm worried about is the second half of the season. We've done well so far, but in the second half, we'll be playing the Champions League, Bundesliga, and the DFB-Pokal simultaneously. Our players can't keep up with that schedule!"
"Then we'll have to rely on the winter transfer window. But how much funding can Watzke provide?" Buvac sighed.
"Even though the club's finances have improved recently, the debts are still too heavy!"
"We could also try scouting within the second team!" Buvac suggested.
Klopp sighed again. "Anyone with even a hint of potential is already in the first team... We'll have to see who's available when the time comes. For this match... there's nothing we can do. The Champions League is more important!"
Buvac nodded. "Indeed, if we advance in the Champions League, the prize money alone will bring in significant revenue!"
"Exactly, the bonuses alone are enough to sign a couple of talented young players!"
It wasn't that Klopp didn't want to buy established stars, but even moderately skilled players were too expensive.
Unless Dortmund sold a few players, they couldn't afford it...
Speaking of which, Barrios had recently expressed his desire to leave. Selling him could not only cut salary expenses but also bring in a transfer fee!
More importantly, Dortmund's frontline was overcrowded.
Ye Chen, Lewandowski, Barrios, Kuba, and Le Tallecâ
That's five forwards!
Yet Dortmund's most effective formation was 4-2-3-1, which only allowed for one forward per match...
Of course, given the packed schedule, Klopp's plan was to rotate the forwards.
For instance, Ye Chen would start against Mönchengladbach.
For the Champions League, Lewandowski would take the lead!
The two could rotate seamlessly...
The match against Mönchengladbach was supposed to be a clash of titans, a battle for the top of the table.
However, since Dortmund had a Champions League fixture coming up, fans began doubting their chances.
Even the German sports media listed several reasons why Dortmund was bound to lose.
First, with a Champions League match looming, Dortmund would undoubtedly rest most of their starters for Marseille. How much chance could they have left?
Second, Mönchengladbach was at full strength. Reus had been exceptional this seasonâalthough not as monstrous as Ye Chen, he was on par with Götze!
Third, it was Mönchengladbach's home game. This season, they had won five and drawn two of their seven home matchesâremaining unbeaten! They were truly a fortress at home.
Fourth, Schalke 04 had set an example by effectively defending against Ye Chen. And when it came to defense, Mönchengladbach was even strongerâconceding only nine goals in 14 matches, compared to Schalke's 20!
Schalke still managed to hold fifth place, largely due to their strong attack this season.
Fifth, the head-to-head record: In their 78 Bundesliga encounters, Mönchengladbach had 26 wins, 26 draws, and 26 lossesâneck and neck with Dortmund. However, at home, Mönchengladbach had 16 wins, 14 draws, and only 9 lossesâclearly dominant, scoring 93 goals and conceding 53.
Experts believed Mönchengladbach was unbeatable at home, both historically and presently.
Gladbach legend Stiel even claimed on social media, "If Dortmund wins this match, I'll run naked in front of the Westfalenstadion!"
No one found his comment controversialâit reflected the reality.
Following extensive analysis, European betting companies also heavily favored Mönchengladbach.
The initial odds not only predicted Mönchengladbach's undefeated home run but leaned toward them winning outright.
After all, Gladbach had no other distractions.
Last season, they barely avoided relegation, finishing 16th. European competitions weren't even on their radar.
But with Lucien Favre's arrival, the team was reborn. Fans couldn't see any reason for them to lose! Some even chanted, "Strike while the iron's hot!"
Big clubs often collapsed toward the end of seasons when competing in multiple tournaments.
On the Dortmund training ground, when Klopp announced the starting lineup for the Gladbach match, the entire squad was stunned.
Was this lineup... really going to work?
To be honest, once they saw the starters, many players felt tempted to bet against their own team...
But it was just a thought. Players were strictly prohibited from gamblingâgetting caught meant a lifetime ban!
Ye Chen felt the pressure too.
It wasn't that he doubted Dortmund's bench, but the gap between the substitutes and starters was vast.
For example, the wingersâ
PeriÅ¡iÄ, who once led Croatia to the World Cup final alongside ModriÄ, was undoubtedly a Bundesliga-level star.
But the backup, Kruska, was quite average.
Statistically, Kruska had zero goals and assists this season...
On the other side, GroÃkreutz couldn't compare to Götze, though the gap wasn't astronomical.
If Polish captain Jakub BÅaszczykowski were still around, things might be different.
But with Dortmund effectively clipping their wings, how could they compete...
The midfield, anchored by GündoÄan and captain Kehl, still looked solid.
But could they withstand the opposition's relentless attacks?
Moreover, Gladbach's goalkeeper was none other than Ter Stegen, a future world-class keeper.
Ter Stegen had made a name for himself this season, especially in the first round against Bayern, where his incredible saves secured a win.
Was this backup lineup ready for such a challenge?
No wonder everyone favored Gladbach!