5 Things for Borussia Dortmund Fans to Look Forward to in 2016/17 Season
It has been an eventful summer for Borussia Dortmund.
The doom-and-gloom scenario came to pass with three key players—Mats Hummels, Ilkay Gundogan and Henrikh Mkhitaryan—leaving for greener pastures in Munich and Manchester, which put a dent in the club's credentials after a great first campaign under head coach Thomas Tuchel.
The Ruhr side recovered quickly and arguably made the most of their difficult situation, signing no fewer than eight players to replace those who left to replenish the depth of the squad.
Three weeks into pre-season, fans can be optimistic about the season ahead. If nothing else, it should be an entertaining ride.
Here, Bleacher Report presents five things for Dortmund fans to look forward to over the next months.
The Return of Champions League Football
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Personnel aside, the biggest difference between last season and the coming campaign will be the return of UEFA Champions League football to Dortmund.
Football's premier club competition was sorely missed last year—there's a difference between battling with the likes of Real Madrid and Juventus and playing in front of 9,000 spectators against Azerbaijani side FK Qabala on a Thursday.
While the UEFA Europa League did leave a lasting memory with an unforgettable night at Anfield—for all the wrong reasons from a BVB perspective, of course—it just doesn't compare to the Champions League.
Some of the greatest nights in recent club history have come in the competition Germany aptly calls "Konigsklasse," which translates to king's league. Be it a crazy finish against Malaga or a 4-1 win over Los Blancos, the 2012/13 Champions League campaign set the golden standard.
Dortmund's last outing, however, was a wholeheartedly disappointing 3-0 home loss against Juventus in March 2015, so there are some amends to be made.
A Collection of Exciting Talent
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Dortmund have mostly brought in youth and talent this summer. Their oldest signings are Andre Schurrle, Marc Bartra and Sebastian Rode, all aged 25, followed by 24-year-old Mario Gotze.
The other signings are 22-year-old Raphael Guerreiro, 20-year-old Mikel Merino, and Emre Mor and Ousmane Dembele, who are both 19. Add 18-year-old Felix Passlack and 17-year-old Christian Pulisic, and the Black and Yellows arguably boast the best collection of exciting young players in European football.
Getting all of them enough playing time to develop will be among the biggest challenges for Tuchel, as this writer argued in an earlier piece, but, for now, fans shouldn't worry too much.
Dembele is already proving to be a player one simply can't take the eyes off, with the former Stade Rennais winger embarrassing opponents at least once in every pre-season match so far, while Mor's first outing in a yellow shirt against Manchester United on Friday also showed glimpses of why he was a shrewd signing.
Per Peter Bruun of UEFA.com, his former coach at Danish side FC Nordsjaelland, Kasper Hjulmand, explained: "What he is capable of is extraordinary. Just when you expect him to pass, he makes another dribble instead and changes direction. And when he does that, you do not catch him—that is plain impossible."
Guerreiro, meanwhile, impressed at Euro 2016, earning a spot in the official Team of the Tournament, per UEFA.com. The French-born Portugal international will add versatility to Dortmund's left wing.
One More Year of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang
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It's rare for a club of Dortmund's size to have a genuine world-class striker in the prime of his career in the team, so fans should cherish every moment with Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang playing in their colours.
Coming off a season in which he scored 39 goals across competitions, the Gabon international turned 27 in June. Although under contract until 2020, it seems only a matter of time before one of Europe's giants makes Dortmund an offer for their star striker they simply can't refuse.
Aubameyang told German TV station ZDF (h/t Will Griffee for MailOnline) that it's his dream to play for Los Blancos one day: "Real Madrid is my main goal, but at the moment I like it in Dortmund. If there is a chance to go to Madrid, I will say immediately yes—but at the moment there is no contact."
That could change next summer, so fans should enjoy what could be the last year of the crowd favourite playing at the Westfalenstadion.
The Return of the Prodigal Son
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Arguably the most spectacular transfer in recent team history, Mario Gotze's return to his boyhood club could be the biggest story to watch in German football over the coming months.
The 24-year-old 2014 FIFA World Cup winner returns after three ultimately disappointing years with rivals Bayern Munich and won't be welcomed with open arms by many fans who still consider him a traitor for leaving to join up with Pep Guardiola in 2013.
Gotze acknowledged as much in an initial statement on his Facebook page after the club announced the deal (h/t Stephan Uersfeld of ESPN FC):
"When I left BVB for FC Bayern in 2013, it was a conscious decision and one I don't want to hide today.
Three years on, and now 24, I look at it from a different view. I can understand that many fans were not able to relate to my decision. I wouldn't repeat it from where I am today.
When I now return to my home, I want to try to convince all people with my performances, especially those who will not welcome me with open arms. It's my goal to play my best football again. For us all, the club and the BVB fans.
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Even though reactions to the news of Gotze's return have so far mostly been positive or relatively indifferent, one would think that'll change once the season starts.
The midfielder will likely have to live with a negative reception from parts of the stadium early in the season, which is why Tuchel said "Mario has chosen to take the hard way" in a press conference in Shanghai, China.
However, his potential as a footballer can't be denied—he remains a generational talent. If Tuchel can reawaken the world-class player in his new No. 10, the Black and Yellows' creative void after the departures of Ilkay Gundogan and Henrikh Mkhitaryan will be no more.
Many, if not most, fans will then forgive and forget, and just be happy that the prodigal son is back where he belongs.
Having the Right Coach at the Right Time
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Thomas Tuchel's first year in charge was all about reigniting the team after the disappointing end to Jurgen Klopp's glorious seven-year run with the Black and Yellows.
The 42-year-old passed the test with flying colours, imprinting a clear footballing identity on his team. Dortmund were one of the most entertaining sides in Europe thanks to his work, scoring goals for fun even against teams they struggled with in the latter stages of Klopp's tenure; those who sat deep and dared the Westfalenstadion side to find an opening against massive defensive blocks.
The season was so impressive that fans should have every confidence in Tuchel to take the next challenge head-on. In the coming months, it could be more about his skills in man-management than as a teacher of football.
With a bigger squad that includes so many talents that need playing time to develop, Tuchel will have to walk a tightrope to keep everyone happy and his team on course in three competitions.
Lars Pollmann also writes for YellowWallPod.com. You can follow him on Twitter.
