1997–98 Borussia Dortmund season
Season summary
Manager Ottmar Hitzfeld was promoted to sporting director, and Nevio Scala was appointed as his replacement. Under Scala, Dortmund made a strong showing in the Champions League: although they failed to defend the title, there was no shame in their semi-final defeat to eventual winners Real Madrid. Of more concern was their league form, coming 10th (their lowest finish since 1991). This prompted his departure; replacing him was his assistant Michael Skibbe, making him (until 2016) the youngest Bundesliga head coach of all time.
First-team squad
- Squad at end of season[1]
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
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Left club during season
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
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Competitions
DFB-Ligapokal
Preliminary round
| 20 July 1997 | Borussia Dortmund | 1–0 | VfL Bochum | Stadion Oberwerth, Koblenz |
| 20:30 | Chapuisat |
Report | Attendance: 13,000 Referee: Hans-Peter Best |
Semi-finals
| 23 July 1997 | Bayern Munich | 2–0 | Borussia Dortmund | Rosenaustadion, Augsburg |
| 19:00 | Giovane Élber Babbel |
Report | Attendance: 25,000 Referee: Lutz Wagner |
Bundesliga
League table
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 | MSV Duisburg | 34 | 11 | 11 | 12 | 43 | 44 | −1 | 44 | Qualification to Cup Winners' Cup first round[lower-alpha 1] |
| 9 | Hamburger SV | 34 | 11 | 11 | 12 | 38 | 46 | −8 | 44 | |
| 10 | Borussia Dortmund | 34 | 11 | 10 | 13 | 57 | 55 | +2 | 43 | |
| 11 | Hertha BSC | 34 | 12 | 7 | 15 | 41 | 53 | −12 | 43 | |
| 12 | VfL Bochum | 34 | 11 | 8 | 15 | 41 | 49 | −8 | 41 |
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored.
Notes:
- As domestic cup winners Bayern Munich had qualified for UEFA Champions League, their place in the Cup Winners' Cup was transferred to finalists Duisburg.
UEFA Super Cup
| 8 January 1998 | Barcelona | 2–0 | | Camp Nou, Barcelona |
| 21:00 CET | Luis Enrique Rivaldo |
Report | Attendance: 50,000 Referee: David Elleray (England) |
| 11 March 1998 | Borussia Dortmund | 1–1 (1–3 agg.) | | Westfalenstadion, Dortmund |
| 20:00 CET | Heinrich |
Report | Giovanni |
Attendance: 32,500 Referee: Piero Ceccarini (Italy) |
Intercontinental Cup
Final
| 2 December 1997 | Borussia Dortmund | 2–0 | | National Stadium, Tokyo |
| 19:10 JST | Zorc Herrlich |
Report | Attendance: 46,953 Referee: José García-Aranda (Spain) |
Champions League
Group stage
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 6 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 14 | 3 | +11 | 15 | Advance to knockout stage | |
| 2 | 6 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 6 | 5 | +1 | 9 | ||
| 3 | 6 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 6 | 11 | −5 | 5 | ||
| 4 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 4 | 11 | −7 | 4 |
| 17 September 1997 | Galatasaray | 0–1 | | Ali Sami Yen Stadium, Istanbul |
| 20:45 | Report | Chapuisat |
Attendance: 23,000 Referee: José García-Aranda (Spain) |
| 1 October 1997 | Borussia Dortmund | 4–1 | | Westfalenstadion, Dortmund |
| 20:45 | Herrlich Chapuisat Heinrich |
Report | Siegl |
Attendance: 42,000 Referee: Vítor Melo Pereira (Portugal) |
| 22 October 1997 | Parma | 1–0 | | Stadio Ennio Tardini, Parma |
| 20:45 | Crespo |
Report | Attendance: 13,449 Referee: Gilles Veissière (France) |
| 5 November 1997 | Borussia Dortmund | 2–0 | | Westfalenstadion, Dortmund |
| 20:45 | Möller |
Report | Attendance: 40,000 Referee: Kim Milton Nielsen (Denmark) |
| 27 November 1997 | Borussia Dortmund | 4–1 | | Westfalenstadion, Dortmund |
| 20:45 | But Herrlich Zorc |
Report | Penbe |
Attendance: 45,000 Referee: Rune Pedersen (Norway) |
| 10 December 1997 | Sparta Prague | 0–3 | | Letná Stadium, Prague |
| 20:45 | Report | Möller Kirovski Booth |
Attendance: 10,925 Referee: Hugh Dallas (Scotland) |
Quarter-finals
| 4 March 1998 | Bayern Munich | 0–0 | | Olympiastadion, Munich |
| 20:45 | Report | Attendance: 60,000 Referee: Pierluigi Collina (Italy) |
| 18 March 1998 | Borussia Dortmund | 1–0 (a.e.t.) (1–0 agg.) | | Westfalenstadion, Dortmund |
| 20:45 | Chapuisat |
Report | Attendance: 48,500 Referee: László Vagner (Hungary) |
Semi-finals
| 1 April 1998 | Real Madrid | 2–0 | | Santiago Bernabéu Stadium, Madrid |
| 22:00 | Morientes Karembeu |
Report | Attendance: 85,000 Referee: Mario van der Ende (Netherlands) |
| 15 April 1998 | Borussia Dortmund | 0–0 (0–2 agg.) | | Westfalenstadion, Dortmund |
| 20:45 | Report | Attendance: 48,500 Referee: Paul Durkin (England) |