Kobel Demands Dortmund Show More Maturity After Champions League Thriller Against Juventus

Borussia Dortmund goalkeeper Gregor Kobel did not hold back in expressing his frustration after his team's dramatic 4-4 draw against Juventus in the Champions League. The match, filled with twists and turns, saw Dortmund relinquish the lead on three separate occasions, with Juventus scoring twice in stoppage time to salvage a point at the Allianz Stadium.

The thrilling encounter saw eight goals scored in the second half, with Dusan Vlahovic and Lloyd Kelly finding the net in added time to deny Dortmund a crucial victory. This result means that Niko Kovac’s side now hold the unfortunate record of being only the fourth team in Champions League history to lead three times in a game and still fail to win.

Juventus's clinical finishing, scoring four goals from just 1.95 expected goals and seven shots on target, left Kobel visibly upset. "Conceding four goals here, two in stoppage time, is incredibly frustrating for me," Kobel stated in a post-match interview with Amazon Prime Video. "While getting a point here is acceptable, we undoubtedly came here with the intention of winning."

Kobel emphasized the need for Dortmund to manage games more effectively, particularly when in a leading position. "We simply need to see out games with more composure and maturity," he urged. "It's about strategically moving the ball forward, running down the clock, and closing out the match. Ultimately, we need to display a greater level of maturity in our play."

The match was an instant classic, becoming only the second fixture in Champions League history to witness as many as eight goals in a single half, following Bayern Munich's dominant performance against Dinamo Zagreb last season. The goals came thick and fast, with Karim Adeyemi's 52nd-minute opener being swiftly cancelled out by Kenan Yildiz. Felix Nmecha then put Dortmund ahead again, only for Vlahovic to restore parity once more.

Late in the game, Yan Couto's goal and a Ramy Bensebaini penalty appeared to have secured the win for Dortmund. However, Vlahovic scored again and then set up Kelly in stoppage time to complete the dramatic comeback for the home side.

That escalated quickly… #UCL pic.twitter.com/ZqPo3Vvvtx

— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) September 16, 2025</blockquote

"We are extremely disappointed right now," Kobel reiterated. "We should have won the game; we simply cannot concede two goals in injury time. We cannot allow that to happen, especially after playing such a strong game."

Despite the defensive shortcomings, Dortmund's attack showed promise. Serhou Guirassy, with 20 goal involvements in 19 Champions League appearances, joins an elite group including Lionel Messi, Erling Haaland and Raphinha to have more goal involvements than games played in the competition. Guirassy assisted Adeyemi's opening goal.

Furthermore, Adeyemi's impressive long-range shooting was highlighted, with only Leroy Sane and Messi scoring more goals from outside the box in the Champions League since his debut in 2020-21.

Nmecha, who scored his first Champions League goal, shared Kobel's disappointment. "I'm happy about my goal, but it's disappointing to be caught up like that when you're two goals ahead and feel like victory is secured," he lamented. "The second half was much more open, with both teams taking risks, resulting in goals. We gave everything and came close to winning, but unfortunately, it slipped away at the very end. While I'm not happy about conceding two goals in added time, leaving Turin with a point is still a positive result for us."

The draw leaves Dortmund with work to do in their remaining Champions League fixtures if they are to progress to the knockout stages. Kobel's demand for maturity and game management will need to be heeded if Dortmund are to avoid similar disappointments in the future. The team has to find a way to close out games when in a leading position. If they are to reach the level they are aiming for, they will need to heed Kobel’s advice.