Borussia Dortmund boss Jurgen Klopp has labelled his side’s title defence as “crazy” after they secured the German Bundesliga title on Saturdya with a 2-0 victory over Borussia Moenchengladbach.
BVB started the season slowly but really got going in the latter two thirds of the campaign, going 26 games unbeaten before clinching the crown with two games to play on the weekend.
“We could have played our best season,” Klopp said. “We haven’t lost in 26 league games, that’s just crazy. And we have never had the feeling that we’d lose. It just went on and on.”
The title was Dortmund’s fifth Bundesliga crown since the competition began in 1963.
Klopp’s claim that this was Dortmund’s best season could be boosted with the club closing in on a league record 79 points. Currently Dortmund have 75 points with two games to play and will be aiming to break rivals Bayern Munich’s record, from both the 1971-72 and 1972-73 seasons.
Dortmund chief executive Hans-Joachim Watzke hailed the side’s ability to respond after their slow start.
“After six matchdays we were 11th,” Watzke said. “To come back again from that is huge. It’s simply grandiose.”
He added: “We were in an unusual situation of having to defend the title. You can only imagine how well this this team has done. To be able to hold off such a strong Bayern team shows that we deserve an extra star.”
Meanwhile, Klopp also said: “It is madness what my team have achieved, but there are no words. If there was ever a deserving champion, then it is us. My team have exceptional character and the things they do are crazy.”