Borussia Dortmund's Champions League? Wembley win would reward a club that still does it differently

The beginning of the Champions League final week has arrived, and Dortmund is bustling with excitement as fans prepare for their trip to London. However, it also signifies a year since the unfortunate day when Borussia Dortmund lost the Bundesliga title.

Perhaps you remember the unwelcoming moments of uncertainty. Dortmund simply required a win in their game against Mainz on their home turf to put an end to the Bayern Munich's ten years of triumph in Germany. Preparations for a celebratory march had already been arranged. Unfortunately, Dortmund were only able to manage a 2-2 tie. Frustration set in as their hopes were crushed.

After the game, there was the regular blame game happening outside the stadium. Edin Terzic, a previous fan who became the coach of the team, was known for his excitement and motivation that almost led the team to victory. However, people started questioning his tactics. They doubted if he underestimated the opponent and whether the players were truly prepared to win.

In the stadium, there wasn't any talk of anything other than disappointment. People were feeling united in their sadness. Terzic and his players were applauding the fans who still supported them despite their team's loss. It was a touching moment, but how does a team recover from such a huge defeat?

During a visit to the city earlier this season, we had the opportunity to speak with Carsten Cramer, the managing director of Dortmund. We asked him about the recent happenings with the team, including the changes with the players and the coach. His response was straightforward - "You may have seen the pictures. That's just how things are in Dortmund."

Yes, that's definitely Dortmund. That's why everyone is so thrilled that they're back on the biggest stage - the Champions League final against Real Madrid at Wembley on Saturday. Cramer said that "Dortmund is different," and he's absolutely right.

In Europe, this club has the highest average attendance and it's all thanks to their Yellow Wall. They are considered to be one of the best clubs in the world, having won the Champions League in 1997 and generating the second highest revenue in Germany. Despite all of their success, they still stand out as being different from other clubs.

The Dortmund team is quite complex and unique. Even though they sold one of their players, Jude Bellingham, to their rivals last summer, and the previous summer they sold another player, Erling Haaland, to the current champions, Manchester City, they were still able to make it to the final.

Dortmund has a certain natural quality that makes them special, particularly in their victory over Paris Saint-Germain to reach this point. The team's lack of external influence, such as government or corporate funding or ownership from wealthy individuals in the Arab world, means that they have to work hard to achieve success, which is a source of pride for them.

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Without the football club, Dortmund wouldn't be anything special among the cities in the Ruhr area. It's not known for its beauty or its wealth. That being said, if you compare Dortmund to the larger cities, most of them are where the money is. However, in Dortmund there's another kind of currency that's highly valued - and that's the football club.

The club's most prized asset is their emotional connection. This can have positive and negative effects. It's rare for anyone to only experience positive emotions. Unfortunately, negative feelings like disappointment, sadness, and anger have become embedded in the club's past.

There have been tougher times than losing the championship. "Two decades ago, we erred by using funds we lacked to outdo Bayern Munich that led us close to bankruptcy." From that experience, they acquired knowledge. Nowadays, they are aware of their identity.

Currently, Bayern pays twice as much as Dortmund in terms of employee wages. This is the key reason they are trying to keep up with their Bundesliga opponents. Though, this information is not meant to sound like a complaint. Everyone knows that the bigger your salary budget is, the greater the likelihood of succeeding.

However, despite this, there will still be competitors who feel jealous of Dortmund. They have a large number of fans and customers. Nevertheless, Cramer and his team are aware that this club has its own limitations. Since their brand is established on being genuine, trying to overcommercialize could be uncomfortable.

I remember chatting with Benedikt Scholz, who oversees international partnerships for Dortmund. The popular Yellow Wall at the stadium is often captured in photos, but Scholz explained that they purposely don't overly monetize it with advertisements.

Scholz proposed that we are somewhat crazy about the economy. He pointed out the huge number of people, 25,000 to be precise, standing on the "Yellow Wall." If we were to add some seats and another 20 executive boxes, we could grow our commercial revenue exponentially.

Cramer admitted that facing restrictions, indicated by figurative red lines, can pose a challenge for growth and make progress hard to achieve. Nevertheless, he expressed contentment and reinforced the importance of protecting one's personal values and being receptive to innovation without seeking radical change.

What this is saying is that although there are locations in both New York and Singapore, Dortmund isn't able to progress as much as some others have. They won't have the opportunity to host NFL matches similar to how Eintracht Frankfurt have. Nevertheless, this disadvantage is actually something beneficial. "It is a characteristic that is ingrained in us. Our concentration is solely on football."

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He said, "Even though we haven't won a championship in 11 years, our stadium is always full. The fans' passion for our club has not waned. The reason for this is that we're not just a football team; we mean more to people. They support us with their emotions, not just their wallets."

It makes one curious about the discussions that take place between executives when they have meals together, in addition to making important decisions. Cramer shared some knowledge, recalling a conversation he had with Txiki Begiristain, who is the director of football for Manchester City, regarding the crucial element to achieving long-term success.

He mentioned to me, "Having a squad of 24 players who are equal is crucial because it puts pressure on them," which I understand can aid in achieving success in sports. Unfortunately, we aren't in a financial position to provide the coach with a team of 24 equally skilled players.

It's important that we extract the maximum benefits from the situation.

At times it functions, while at other times it fails to operate.

They are not aiming to be as big as Manchester City or Real Madrid nor do they strive to be like Bayern Munich. Comparing themselves to these top clubs is not their priority. Their main goal is to give their members the best services possible and that's all that matters to them.

Cramer presented a different approach that day, suggesting that we should aim to emulate Dortmund's tactics. He believed that if we stick with this plan, eventually we will see positive results. Now, a year after our defeat to Mainz, we have the opportunity to reap the ultimate benefit of club football in Europe: victory is just 90 minutes away.