Given Bayern Munich's dominance, it's only natural to crave a team capable of challenging them. But sometimes, it's best just to appreciate a team for what they are. And Dortmund are about as entertaining as it gets.
Image: Reuters/L.Kuegeler
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Football, so the saying goes, is a results business. But while points on the board and trophies in the cabinet are the ultimate goal, a little fun goes a long way - and creates memories that last.
"It wasn't the best game of the season," said Dortmund coach Lucien Favre after a breathless, chaotic 4-3 win over Augsburg. "It was good for the fans but for us... we have a lot to work on, mostly in defense."
DW's Matt Pearson
While seven-goal rollercoasters aren't coach-pleasers, none of the 81,365 fans packed in to Signal Iduna Park, nor the even vaster numbers watching around the world, will have much cause for complaint. Except perhaps for a few from Augsburg.
While it's Favre's job to pick apart the defensive inadequacies that saw Dortmund trail twice and throw away an 84th minute lead, most observers have no such obligation.
Instead they can admire Jadon Sancho's fast feet, Axel Witsel's drive, Achraf Hakimi's purposeful bursts and Paco Alcacer's dead-eyed finishing.
There were times at the start of Peter Bosz' reign when BVB started to please the eye and while Thomas Tuchel's sides also had their moments, it's difficult to think of a Dortmund side so committed to attack and aesthetic since Jürgen Klopp's time at the club.
The Dortmund faithful have now seen their team rack up 21 goals in their five home games this term, with 13 different players having hit the net already. Mario Götze rose from the bench to become the latest on Saturday.
Alcacer and Sancho's feats have made the headlines of late, with the pair now sharing 14 goals and assists from 295 combined minutes - or in other words, a goal involvement every 21 minutes. Alcacer has scored six times despite spending less than 90 minutes on the pitch across his three substitute appearances.
Whether it's a product of youth, design or happy accident, Dortmund's players seem to have found a belief that they can out-score their opponents whatever the circumstances or however long is left on the clock. Favre may not love it, but the rest of us should really enjoy it while it lasts.
Bundesliga Matchday 7 in pictures
Saturday was a good day for the Bundesliga's Americans, with Weston McKennie and Bobby Wood among the goals. But the game of the day was undoubtedly in Dortmund, where the hosts edged an incredible seven goal thriller.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/M. Becker
Fortuna Düsseldorf 0 - 2 Schalke
It took Weston McKennie 33 games to open his Schalke account, now he can't stop hitting the net. The American youngster opened the scoring in this one after scoring the winner against Lokomotiv Moscow in midweek. Guido Burgstaller made it safe for Schalke, who have now won three in a row without conceding.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/M. Becker
Hannover 3 -1 Stuttgart
But McKennie wasn't the only American having fun on Saturday. Bobby Wood (left) was handed his first start since moving to Hannover and rewarded his coach Andre Breitenreiter with quickfire headed double before halftime. Mario Gomez pulled one back for Stuttgart after the break but Ihlas Bebou made it safe late on as the hosts held on for their first league win of the season.
Image: Getty Images/Bongarts/O. Hardt
Borussia Dortmund 4 - 3 Augsburg
Paco Alcacer's stunning injury time freekick completed his hat-trick and won his team a pulsating game at Signal Iduna Park. Dortmund twice trailed their visitors before Alcacer and Mario Götze (in his first league appearance of the season) put them ahead for the first time. When Roman Bürki spilt Michael Gregoritsch's header in to the net on 87 minutes, it looked all over. Not quite.
Image: Reuters/L.Kuegeler
Bayern Munich 0 - 3 Borussia Mönchengladbach
If before it was a blip, it's now most certainly a crisis by Bayern Munich's lofty standards. An excellent 9th minute strike from French forward Alassane Plea gave the visitors the lead before Thiago's error allowed Lars Stindl to score on his return from a severe ankle injury. The comeback many expected never came and Patrick Herrmann completed the rout late on.
Image: imago/Eibner
Mainz 0 - 0 Hertha Berlin
A game low on quality, chances and - from the looks of it - spectators saw these sides share the points. Even Ondrej Duda, the Bundesliga's top scorer before this weekend couldn't summon up anything to steal the points. The result keeps Hertha in the Champions League spots and Mainz safely in midtable.
Image: Imago/T. Frey
Werder Bremen 2-0 Wolfsburg
Davy Klaassen showed how quickly he is settling in at his new club by delivering a game-winning performance in a gritty match. The Dutchman's goal on the volley in the box 10 minutes before the break gave Werder confidence in a game where Wolfsburg had passages of pressure. Forty-year-old Claudio Pizarro came off the bench to set up fellow sub Johannes Eggestein for the second late on.
Image: Imago/Nordphoto
Freiburg 0-0 Bayer Leverkusen
There are still big questions hovering over Heiko Herrlich and Bayer Leverkusen after a disappointing draw away at Freiburg. Lucas Alario had a couple of good chances for the visitors while Luca Waldschmidt struck the post late on for the hosts, whose coach Christian Streich ended the day the happier of the two bosses.
Image: Imago/Eibner
Hoffenheim 1-2 Eintracht Frankfurt
After 2-1 home defeats to RB Leipzig and Manchester City, Hoffenheim lost again by the same score at home to Eintracht Frankfurt. Frankfurt took a two-goal lead in Sinsheim thanks to a long-range lob from Ante Rebic and a low drive from Luka Jovic. Rebic later saw red while Hoffenheim pulled a goal back through Reiss Nelson, but Eintracht hung on for a third straight win in all competitions.
"We will learn from this," promised Nuremberg coach Michael Köllner after his side crashed to a 7-0 defeat away at Borussia Dortmund two weeks ago - but few lessons appear to have been learned as "The Club" shipped six in the Red Bull Arena. Marcel Sabitzer and Timo Werner both scored twice for RB, the latter also seeing a penalty saved after Nuremberg were reduced to ten men in the second half.
