A look back on 2021: A tough end to the year

Our review of 2021 continues with November and December. Borussia struggled on the pitch, while Yann Sommer took over the record as the foreign player to have made the most appearances for Borussia.

On the pitch: 

Borussia were able to take their previous momentum with them into November. They recorded a 1-1 draw at Mainz 05, before beating Greuther Fürth 4-0 and extending their unbeaten run at BORUSSIA-PARK to seven games. The Foals were therefore full of confidence going into the derby against 1. FC Köln, but fell to a heavy 4-1 defeat. They then followed it up with a historic loss to SC Freiburg, with the Foals already 6-0 down at half time - the biggest lead any away team have ever enjoyed at the break in league history. Borussia then lost against Leipzig (4-1), having conceded 14 goals in their last three games. 

They then suffered a 3-2 defeat to Eintracht Frankfurt in their final home game of the year. A 1-1 draw in the final game of the year against TSG Hoffenheim saw the Foals end their losing run, although they were unlucky to concede the equaliser in injury time. 

Memorable moment: 

307 competitive appearances, including 246 in the Bundesliga: Yann Sommer has amassed an impressive resume during his seven and a half years at Borussia. After drawing level with Oscar Wendt during the away game in Leipzig, before making his 306th competitive appearance for Borussia in the next game against Frankfurt. No foreign player has therefore made more appearances for the Foals than Sommer. In addition to making 246 Bundesliga appearances, Sommer has also appeared in 19 DFB-Pokal matches and 20 games in the Europa and Champions League, as well as two appearances in Champions League qualification. In November 2019, Sommer extended his contract at the club until 2023. “Yann is a leader in our team, both on and off the pitch, and his exceptional performances have been a huge factor in our success over the last years. In my opinion, he’s one of the best goalkeepers in Europe,” Borussia sporting director Max Eberl said at the time. 

Off the pitch: 

• After a short battle with a serious illness, Borussia vice-president Siegfried Söllner passed away on 9th December, aged 79.
• Conor Noß makes his Bundesliga debut against SpVgg Greuther Fürth. His match-worn shirt from the game has been hung up in the dressing room tunnel at BORUSSIA-PARK. 
• Breel Embolo finishes in second place in ARD’s Goal of the Month voting in October. The Switzerland international was nominated for his bicycle kick goal against VfL Wolfsburg. 
• Valentino Lazaro’s scorpion kick goal from November 2020 is nominated for FIFA’s Puskas Award. 
• Together with Porsche, Borussia helped give 272 children from areas affected by flooding a summer camp experience. A total of eight clubs took part in the campaign, which ran from August to November. 
• For the eighth year in a row, Borussia were awarded the ‘CrefoZert’ for exceptional financial standing. 
• The traditional Advent brunch and visits to various social organisations were called off due to the high rate of Coronavirus infections. Instead, Borussia found other ways to deliver presents and cakes with Borussia decorations to the children. 

In words: 

Max Eberl: “We will and must all take on this challenge together. At the moment, we’re in a slump but I can promise you that we will do everything in order to get ourselves out of it. I hope that all the dans see and feel that and support us on this tough path, so that we can achieve something big together again.”