Play as Jurgen Klopp’s Borussia Dortmund in Football Manager 2024. Following the release of my tactical recreation of Pep Guardiola’s Barcelona and Jupp Heynckes’ Bayern Munich tactics, I’m back with another tactical emulation for Football Manager 2024. Today, I, Magicomonta guides you through the tactics of Jurgen Klopp’s Borussia Dortmund.
The yellow and blacks tried in every way to stop Bayern Munich’s dominance, always stopping at the last step. That team, however, played beautiful football and launched the current Lverpoool coach onto the big stage. Here is my tactical emulation.
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If Borussia Dortmund has returned to great late 90s-style levels, as have Liverpool in recent years, the credit undoubtedly goes to Jurgen Klopp. The difference between the adventures in the two teams is that with the English the German coach managed to win everything, while with the yellow German team he was the “eternal second”, until he managed to win two championships, a national cup and two National Super Cups.
After having examined his Liverpool for years now , today we examine his Borussia Dortmund who reached the Champions League final against Heynckes’ Bayern Munich who, by winning that match, completed the historic Treble by beating Dortmund in all competitions.
Jurgen Klopp’ Borussia Dortmund 4-1-4-1 Formation
Klopp‘s style was not yet dominant as seen in England but he preferred to leave the initiative to his opponents to attack them immediately and start again with rapid verticalisations. That squad included future champions of the caliber of Robert Lewandowski, İlkay Gündoğan, Mario Götze and Marco Reus to name just a few, lined up with a 4-4-1-1 which transformed into a 4-2-3 in the possession phase 1/2-4-4.
Construction
As previously mentioned, the team preferred to leave the game to the opponents to carry out the classic high re-aggression, but when they had to set up the defenders they immediately looked for a quick verticalisation towards the advanced men.
Development
In the development phase we try to reach the finalization of the action as soon as possible by exploiting both the lateral chains with the insertion of the wingers and the overlapping of the full-backs or through quick exchanges and central insertions. In this phase, as in most of Dortmund, the fundamental man is Gündoğan , a player who we find present both at the start of the action and often in the finishing.
Finalization
As previously mentioned, Dortmund’s way of finalizing the action is through crosses or the wingers’ own conclusion. The finisher of most of Dortmund’s actions was Robert Lewandowski, who, unlike the Polish striker’s interpretations of the role in recent years, was stationed much more near the penalty area.
Non-possession phase
The non-possession phase was Klopp’s most elaborate phase . Once the ball was lost, they had to immediately try to recover it in the area as close to the opponent’s goal as possible and once recovered they had to immediately attack it.
The objective was to send the opponent towards the external areas of the pitch, closing all the central areas. On the flanks the two wingers incessantly pressed their opponents, often with many men in the ball area with the full-back and competent winger involved.
Test results
The tactic was tested with Borussia Dortmund that season with excellent results on the match engine included on the 24.3 winter update.
Tactical analysis explanation and download
Watch the video explanation of tactical analysis and creation below. In the video description you will also find the download link and import Jürgen Klopp’s Borussia Dortmund tactic on Football Manager 2024 to your save.
