Four years at BVB ended in utter tragedy: Niklas Süle never got his revenge on FC Bayern

In the 37th minute, Süle slipped in the penalty area while trying to tackle Hoffenheim striker Andrej Kramaric, twisting his knee. As he fell, he grimaced in pain, then raised his arm just before landing on his back. At that instant, Kramaric’s strike hit his hand. Referee Daniel Siebert initially let play continue, then allowed Süle treatment before the defender, in tears and supported by medical staff, limped off. Only after this did Siebert review the incident at the touchline and award a penalty, in line with the widely criticised handball regulations. By the time Kramaric converted the spot-kick to make it 1-0, Süle was already in the stadium’s underground tunnels. “We don’t know anything for certain yet. At least he was able to put weight on it. That’s a good sign, at any rate,” Kovac reported later. Managing director Lars Ricken, however, was less optimistic: “There is already a suspicion of a serious injury. He’s sitting in the dressing room with a bandage on his knee,” he said. 

On Sunday afternoon, BVB cautiously gave the all-clear: Süle had sustained only a “minor knee injury”, and he might yet feature in the final stretch of the season.

Süle will leave BVB in the summer after four largely injury-hit years, a departure confirmed since mid-March. As a result, the slip, the injury and the penalty may unwittingly define his time in Dortmund, regardless of whether he plays again. For BVB, the immediate priority is securing second place in the Bundesliga; two consecutive defeats have kept that goal in jeopardy, at least mathematically.

That snapshot was merely the latest in a series: fans still recall the photo from shortly before the 2024 Champions League final, which showed him training in a shirt stretched tight across his midsection.

Before Saturday, he had already missed 226 days—and 39 matches—over the past two seasons due to a series of muscle, back, and thigh injuries. Saturday’s outing, against his first professional club, was only his tenth Bundesliga appearance this term, totalling 485 minutes. 

Both Süle and BVB would have preferred to avoid this final twist in a partnership that was already deeply troubled.

Nevertheless, his arrival on a free transfer in summer 2022 was initially seen as a coup for Borussia. FC Bayern Munich, where Süle had been an undisputed starter since joining in 2017—especially under Niko Kovac—had wanted to extend his contract, but only on certain terms.

Months of protracted talks had left him sensing a lack of appreciation from the record champions, so by spring he opted for the free move. Although he had considered a move to England, Dortmund represented a strong alternative, offering him the chance to prove his worth against Bayern. Reports suggested he earned around €14 million per year at BVB.

During this period, Bayern were somewhat adrift, struggling in the transfer market for both officials and coaches, and failed to field a cohesive squad every season. Bayern’s title sequence had to end sometime, and Dortmund were poised to pounce. In 2022/23, the champions did stumble; Nagelsmann was sacked in spring for reasons that still baffle many; and by the 34th matchday, BVB appeared certain champions. The rest is history: Jamal Musiala’s 89th-minute winner for Bayern in Cologne, coupled with Süle’s 90+6 equaliser for Dortmund in Mainz, merely delayed the inevitable—Bayern claimed their 33rd title and an unprecedented 11th consecutive Bundesliga crown. 

In his first season with BVB, Süle started 29 Bundesliga matches and became a cornerstone of the back line, especially after the winter break. His defining moment arrived in December 2023, when he executed a sliding tackle in the six-yard box to deny Kylian Mbappé an opener for Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League. Sprinting goalwards, Süle diverted the shot away from the line with the kind of decisive intervention usually reserved for goalkeepers.

The image encapsulated their partnership: a sliding tackle as vital and emotional as any goal. The BVB drew 1–1, won the tough group, and saw their Champions League campaign end only in the final at Wembley. Süle watched the entire 2–0 loss to Real Madrid from the bench; in the competition, he had lost his starting place after the round of 16, partly due to fitness concerns.

He missed Euro 2024, instead working with a mental coach, shedding ten kilograms and impressing in pre-season. “Niki has done significantly more than anyone else. If he stays fit and works on his areas for improvement, he’ll get much, much better,” praised then-sporting director Sebastian Kehl. That high, however, proved short-lived. A series of injuries and inconsistent form disrupted his 2024–25 campaign. During the 5–2 loss to Real Madrid in October 2025, teammate Ramy Bensebaini accidentally landed on his foot, sidelining him for 37 days. 

Niko Kovac immediately touted him as a potential 2026 World Cup prospect upon his arrival in Dortmund, yet Süle continued to be dogged by injuries under the coach and consequently logged limited minutes—a pattern that has persisted across the past two campaigns.

Consequently, nobody now links Süle to the 2026 World Cup; the main question is when—and where—the centre-back, already twice recovered from cruciate ligament tears, will next play competitive football.