Borussia Dortmund begin their Bundesliga campaign under pressure after a difficult start to the season. The 1-2 Supercup defeat to Bayern Munich at Signal Iduna Park set an uncomfortable tone, with the team outplayed in the first half before showing more character after the break. Fabio Silva's goal gave them hope, but the gap between the sides was clear, and criticism of coach Niko Kovac's approach from figures like Ewald Lienen has added external noise before a ball has been kicked in the league.

The injury situation makes the picture more concerning. Nico Schlotterbeck, Dortmund's defensive leader, remains sidelined with an ankle ligament injury and is not expected back until October at the earliest. The Supercup brought a fresh blow: Ramy Bensebaini was sent off and then taken to hospital with a suspected rib injury, leaving the backline stretched heading into Saturday's home match against Hamburger SV.

Off the pitch, the transfer window has produced mixed results. The signing of Konstantinos Karetsas on a five-year deal was a genuine coup, with AC Milan having been ready to match Dortmund's fee. The Greek midfielder impressed on his debut against Bayern. Yet the pursuit of Barcelona's Hector Fort has collapsed, with the right-back choosing Real Sociedad instead. Meanwhile, young defender Luca Reggiani has been linked with a move to AC Milan or Inter, adding further uncertainty to a squad that already has significant gaps to fill before the season properly begins.