Borussia Dortmund vs. Wolfsburg: Winners and Losers from DFB Pokal Final

Wolfsburg denied Borussia Dortmund manager Jurgen Klopp the send-off he was craving as they came from behind to win the DFB-Pokal final 3-1 on Saturday.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang put Dortmund ahead after just five minutes to get Klopp's side off to the perfect start, but Wolfsburg responded emphatically before the break thanks to finishes from Luiz Gustavo, Kevin De Bruyne and Bas Dost.

Dortmund had their chances to get back into the game—they blasted many of them wide of the target rather than forcing Diego Benaglio into a save—but Dieter Hecking's side always looked dangerous on the counterattack and wasted countless opportunities to kill off the match.

Nevertheless, Dortmund were unable to find a route back into the contest, as the Bundesliga runners-up ended the season with some silverware to show for their efforts. Klopp, however, leaves the club empty-handed after what must now be considered a disappointing final season in charge.

Click on for some winners and losers from Saturday's final.

Winner: Kevin De Bruyne

Markus Schreiber/Associated Press

In what might yet prove to be his final game for Wolfsburg, Kevin De Bruyne was the architect of the club's first-ever victory in the DFB-Pokal.

The Belgian scored the goal that put Wolfsburg in the lead—his most notable contribution to the cause—but around that his quality on the ball and danger when he had time to pass were always in evidence. He seemed capable of picking apart Borussia Dortmund almost at will, applying the sort of pressure that Klopp's side were unable to deal with.

If big clubs are sniffing around De Bruyne, then this performance would have served to heighten their interest.

On the pitch he dedicated his goal to Junior Malanda, his former teammate for club and country who tragically lost his life earlier in the season. Afterwards, De Bruyne continued with that tribute, reminding everyone of the huge toll this season has taken on everyone.

“It was a great game for us,” De Bruyne said, per the Guardian. “We struggled in the first 20 minutes, but after that we played great."

He added, “We have kept playing for him [Malanda] since the winter break. We had him with us, and he would have hoped we won it."

Loser: Jurgen Klopp

Markus Schreiber/Associated Press

It was not the ending that Jurgen Klopp would have wanted, as he failed to sign off after seven memorable seasons at Borussia Dortmund with a cup final victory.

In many ways it was a fitting performance to mark Klopp's departure, underlining exactly why the time has perhaps come for the two parties to go their separate ways. Dortmund started brightly but were undone by lapses in concentration and poor individual play, exactly as they were during their abject start to the season—a litany of failings that ultimately made qualifying for the Champions League an impossible task.

Dortmund had their chances to get back into this game, and on another evening they might well have done enough to at least force extra-time. As it was there would be no fairy-tale comeback for Klopp in his farewell game—although the performance perhaps illustrated why a fresh start could benefit both club and manager.

Afterwards, Klopp told reporters, per Eurosport:

"

The departure is starting to be painful now. Now there won't be a Cup party, just a farewell party.

My emotional state is now below average. I am working very hard at the moment to process this defeat.

We could have scored a second goal before the break. We had the chances. Congratulations to Wolfsburg but for us it was completely unnecessary.

We did a lot of things well. We lacked luck. For me, in life, the biggest challenge is to deal with defeats.

"

The result was also perhaps bad news for Klopp's successor, Thomas Tuchel. Dortmund's failure to win on Saturday means they will now enter next season's Europa League at a preliminary stage, so a first competitive match before July is out.

That will restrict the time Tuchel has to work with his squad and install his new ideas, perhaps making his task slightly harder. Then again, the additional competitive fixtures might allow him a few additional opportunities to get his players up to speed before domestic matters begin.

Either way, that is no longer Klopp's concern.

Winner: Bas Dost

Michael Sohn/Associated Press

Bas Dost was another big winner on the night. The striker—who seems to divide observers almost down the middle when it comes to evaluating his real quality—provided a goal and an assist as Wolfsburg's first-half surge powered them to victory.

A persistent threat inside the penalty area, the striker showed his link-up play as his subtle lay-off allowed De Bruyne to drive home the strike that gave Dieter Hecking's side the lead. Then he turned to his primary role, rising highest to head home Ivan Perisic's inviting cross to give Wolfsburg a commanding advantage.

It was a perfect way for the Netherlands international to end a successful individual season.

Loser: Marco Reus

Michael Sohn/Associated Press

Marco Reus cut a disconsolate figure at full-time, as the forward was left to rue what might have been as another trophy slipped through his grasp.

The German international was guilty of missing a gilt-edged chance midway through the first half, an opportunity that would have given Dortmund a second goal in the match—a platform to go on and clinch victory in the match that they may well have made the most of.

It felt like a significant moment and so it proved, as the forward seemed visibly affected by the miss—especially once Wolfsburg had rebounded into a commanding advantage of their own.

With his touch suddenly unsure and his decision-making in front of goal now compromised, Reus eventually was substituted with a significant chunk of time remaining—recognition from Klopp that this had just not been his night. Reus will look back on this game with any fondness.

Winner: Dieter Hecking

Michael Sohn/Associated Press

Jurgen Klopp's tenure might not have ended the way he wanted, but for opposite number Dieter Hecking, it was the perfect conclusion to a successful season.

Having already secured second in the Bundesliga as tangible evidence of the progress the club has made this season, Wolfsburg went one stage further by adding some silverware to the trophy cabinet—winning the DFB-Pokal for the first time in the club's long history.

The manner in which his well-drilled team roared back from an early setback was impressive to watch and underlined the strength of side that Hecking—with significant financial backing, it must be said—has put together.

It will be enjoyable to discover how Wolfsburg fare next season. With a taste for silverware now acquired, if the club can keep hold of their big players (De Bruyne, most notably), then it will be interesting to see how they perform at home and in the Champions League under Hecking's direction.

Loser: Mitchell Langerak

Markus Schreiber/Associated Press

While it would be unfair to point the finger of blame at any one Dortmund player (all of them, to a greater or lesser extent, disappointed in elements of their performance), goalkeeper Mitchell Langerak did not have the best game of his career.

The Australian should have done much better for Luiz Gustavo's opening goal, as he palmed a driven free-kick softly into the path of the Brazilian for an equaliser Wolfsburg scarcely deserved (at that point).

Soon after, Langerak's technique was again open to some debate, as he allowed De Bruyne's low shot to squeeze inside his near post. It was a good effort, but he could have made the save with slightly better positioning and awareness.

Langerak could do little for Dost's third strike, but by then the damage was already done. Dortmund's goalkeeper made a few solid saves in the second half, but in truth those stops weren't enough for his team to find a way back into the match. Their chance had already gone, and so had the trophy.