Over the years, Borussia Dortmund has developed a penchant for unearthing some of the best footballing gems through their ranks. However, as the old saying goes ‘You can’t have your cake and eat it too.’
Despite developing the likes of Ilkay Gundogan, Mario Gotze and Robert Lewandowski among others, household names; Dortmund hasn’t always been able to hang on to their best players and have lost them to some of the biggest clubs in Europe, most painfully to arch rivals, Bayern Munich.
The name, fame and riches of some of Europe’s elite clubs are seemingly too good for the above mentioned to resist, as they all left Dortmund in their quest for greener pastures.
There Are Some Things that Money Can’t Buy
On the face of it, Marco Reus is just another talent who has made it big through his time at Dortmund. However, he is one like no other. In a time and age where most young players leave their boyhood clubs for the charm of a bigger club, Reus is a reminder of staying true to one’s roots and repaying them in the best possible way.
If Reus had to be defined in one word – ‘Loyal’ would perhaps be most fitting. Since rejoining Dortmund in 2012, the German attacker has been through the highs and lows of the beautiful game with the club. From scoring in the final, and winning the 2013 DFL Super Cup against Bayern Munich, to losing to the same opponents in the final of the Champions League the same year, Reus has seen it all with Dortmund.
Most importantly, Reus stayed with Dortmund despite the rollercoaster ride and also stayed when many of his fellow players and good friends moved to other clubs. Loyalty indeed is something that money can’t buy.
Luck hasn’t always been on his side
Reus’s immense talent and quality has been on display ever since his initial days as a player, first with Borussia Monchengladbach and then with Dortmund. Few other players have the versatility and intelligence of Reus, so as to be able to play anywhere across the frontline.
However, every sportsperson, no matter how gifted, needs a certain element of luck to achieve their true potential. However, in the case of Reus, it is perhaps this very element of luck that has eluded him the most in his career, so far.
For all his innate ability, lady luck hasn’t always been kind to Dortmund’s no. 11. This was never more the case than when Reus was deemed to be one of the most pivotal members of the German squad in the build-up to the World Cup in 2014 but picked up an injury just before the start of the tournament in Brazil and was ruled out of the tournament as a result of it.
What must have been even more disappointing from Reus’s perspective was the fact that he could not be a part of Germany’s first World Cup winning squad since 1990.
Despite this disappointment, given his unquestionable ability and the fact that time is still on his side, it’s very foreseeable that Reus will have at least one more opportunity to get his hands on the biggest prize in world football.
New season, same old story
For someone whose career has largely been a binary between being injured or being immaculate, Reus’ ongoing campaign started in an uncanny, yet familiar way.
Having missed the first 11 games of the Bundesliga season through a muscle and a heel bone injury, Reus made his return with a 32-minute cameo against Eintracht Frankfurt on matchday 12.
In the very next game, Reus was back to his usual mesmerising ways, with three assists, against his former club Monchengladbach, as Dortmund eventually ran out 4-1 winners. The German hit the ground running on his return from injury and it was almost as if he had never been away.
Things were about to get even better for Reus when he made his season debut for Dortmund in the Champions League against Legia Warszawa late last month. Wearing the captain’s armband and playing as a centre-forward, Reus led by example, contributing two goals and three assists, in a game that will be remembered for a long time for its final score: Dortmund 8 – 4 Warszawa.
Stepping up to the Plate
Despite his return to vintage form, Reus’ greatest test was always going to be Dortmund’s visit to Real Madrid in the Champions League, earlier this week. Further, given the kind of scintillating form that Reus has been in; more than a few eyebrows were raised when Thomas Tuchel decided not to start him at the Santiago Bernabeu.
But Dortmund somehow weren’t looking a real threat in the absence of their talisman. Despite creating numerous chances, the German side lacked the cutting edge and was running the risk of losing not only the game but also top spot in the group to the home side, following a brace from Karim Benzema.
Tuchel’s introduction of Reus just after the hour mark was ideally an SOS to his star player to save the game for his side and the German did not let his manager down.
Reus’ first notable contribution was to make a clearance off the line and stopped Karim Benzema from getting a hat trick that would have seemingly put the game beyond Dortmund’s reach.
Finally, just as the game headed into its dying moments, Reus displayed his pace and finishing prowess to get on the end of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s cross and round off the a perfect counter attack, to score a record breaking 21st Champions’ League group stage goal for Dortmund and salvage a deserved point for them, in the process.
Reus recent form may just be the beginning of his second coming; and though this may seem like a familiar spectacle to the Dortmund faithful, they will hope that this one is not interrupted by injury or a move away from Westfalenstadion.
For such is the love that Reus and the Yellow Wall share, that it’s only fitting that they get to witness the rise to greatness, of one of their own.
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