Borussia Dortmund's perfect Bundesliga start came to a painful end on Friday night. Leading 2-0 with ten minutes remaining against Werder Bremen at the Signal Iduna Park, the Schwarzgelben conceded twice in the closing stages, including a Niclas Füllkrug equaliser deep in stoppage time, to draw 2-2. The result leaves BVB top of the table on 13 points from five games, but the manner of the dropped points will sting. After four straight wins, Niko Kovac's side showed they can still be vulnerable when a game slips away from them.

The squad situation adds further complexity to Kovac's planning. Captain Emre Can faces a significantly extended absence after undergoing a second operation to address a chronic adductor problem on top of his existing knee ligament injury. A return to full training before the winter break now looks unlikely, and his contract situation means the clock is ticking on his future at the club. Nico Schlotterbeck and Julian Ryerson both returned from the international break carrying knocks, underlining Kovac's frustration with the volume of fixtures placed on his players during the break.

On the transfer front, the club is planning winter moves to address a shortage at right-back following Yan Couto's departure, with Marcel Regula a name in consideration. Longer-term, 17-year-old Mexican forward Gilberto Mora continues to attract significant interest from BVB. Next up is a Champions League trip to face Bodø/Glimt on 14 October.