MUCH WAS MADE when Jurgen Klopp decided to walk away from Borussia Dortmund at the end of a turbulent season for the German club.
In early February, they were bottom of the top-flight, having previously enjoyed a remarkable spell that saw them win back-to-back league titles in 2011 and 2012 and finishing as Champions League runners-up in 2014.
Somehow, Klopp pushed Dortmund to finish seventh and scrape a Europa League qualification place.
So, you’d forgive even the most hardcore Dortmund supporter for thinking this season may have been difficult – a transitional campaign with a new coach in Thomas Tuchel trying to get used to the bigger responsibility and greater expectations.
But Dortmund have started this season superbly.
They’ve played six games, winning them all. They’ve racked up 26 goals and conceded five.
On Thursday night, they faced Norwegian side Odd in the return leg of their Europa League play-off. And after conjuring a superb comeback in the first game (they trailed 3-0 after just 22 minutes and finished 4-3 in front), they blitzed their guests in front of a mammoth crowd of 64,000 at the Signal-Iduna Park.
Marco Reus popped up with a hat-trick, Shinji Kagawa scored twice while Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Ilkay Gundogan were also on the mark.
Dortmund ran out 7-2 winners, taking the tie 11-5 on aggregate.
Next up for them is a clash with Hertha Berlin on Sunday.
Elsewhere in the Europa League play-offs, Ajax made it through after a scoreless draw with Czech side Jablonec, Athletic Bilbao had away goals to thank for progressing against Slovakian outfit Zilina while Norwegian club Molde went down 3-1 to Standard Liege but still won out on away goals.
Arguably the biggest shock came in Greece as Panathinaikos were eliminated by Qabala from Azerbaijan.
