5 Things Holding Borussia Dortmund Back from Being Bundesliga Contenders

It seems almost too long ago to remember the last time Borussia Dortmund won the Bundesliga title. For the past three seasons, the famous salad bowl has been draped in the dark red and blue of Bavaria, as Jupp Heynckes and Pep Guardiola have stuck with tradition and competently been the best to overcome the rest in Germany.

Yet with the arrival of a new coach this summer, Thomas Tuchel, to replace the one who last brought success to Dortmund, Jurgen Klopp, comes a fresh perspective on just how far the Black and Yellows are from matching and perhaps even overcoming Bayern.

Here are the five things currently holding Dortmund back from challenging for the biggest trophy in German football.

Marcel Schmelzer

Christof Koepsel/Getty Images

One of the standalone problems within this current Dortmund side is the continued misfortune of Marcel Schmelzer and his consistently underperforming nature at the Westfalenstadion. 

The left-back unquestionably gives his all for the side and has been a worthy servant throughout Klopp's time at the club, but an upgrade is an absolute must if the club hopes to one day challenge for the title again. 

Bayern have Juan Bernat and David Alaba, and Wolfsburg have Ricardo Rodriguez. If Dortmund hope to break into that exclusive club, they'll need a full-back of similar quality.

Ilkay Gundogan

Matthias Schrader/Associated Press

As we now know, Ilkay Gundogan has made his intention to leave the club this summer clear—as reported by BBC Sport on April 30—proposing an interesting scenario for Tuchel to consider once he arrives at the club.

Yet the Germany international represents a much bigger problem than just being a wantaway talent who feels he may be better than the troubled situation that besets the side at the moment; he stands as a reminder of the string of players who have decided they're too good for the club. 

Even if Tuchel or Dortmund were able to convince the midfielder to reconsider, he may still be worth selling. No titles challenges, after all, were built on players whose minds were elsewhere.

A Quality Striker—the Lack Thereof

Frank Augstein/Associated Press

Perhaps one of the more glaring holes in this current Dortmund side is the one Robert Lewandowski left behind upon his switch to Bayern last summer.

The Poland international became a world-class talent at the Westfalenstadion and has yet to be adequately replaced by the club despite a number of players having been signed to do just that. 

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang may well score plenty of goals, but neither he nor Ciro Immobile really offers the class or quality that Lewandowski brought with him in the biggest of clashes. 

A player of his calibre up front would go a long way toward redressing the balance of power in the German top division.

Jurgen Klopp

Martin Meissner/Associated Press

Although there was a deep sense of remorse upon the announcement that Jurgen Klopp would be standing down as manager of Dortmund this summer, a certain sense of hope and excitement quickly returned when Tuchel was confirmed as his successor. 

Rather than a fickle effort to ignore the seriousness of the situation, Dortmund fans were instead welcoming something that had long festered in the back of their own minds—that perhaps a change in manager wouldn't be the worst idea in the world. 

Klopp will always be considered a legend at the club, and his success over the past few years may never be matched by his successor, but there is a sense that Klopp had run out of ideas once Bayern began to reclaim Bundesliga supremacy.

The Goalkeepers

Martin Meissner/Associated Press

Another glaring hole in this side lies between the sticks, where Roman Weidenfeller has long conquered any need for an alternative approach but now offers more headaches than match-winning saves for the club.

The introduction of Mitch Langerak has come as a breath of fresh air throughout this current campaign, but perhaps even he can't offer what Dortmund really need: a world-class goalkeeper who can save games single-handedly.

Considering the wealth of options in Germany at the moment, there really is no excuse for Tuchel to start the new campaign with the same, tired approach behind the back line.