Biggest winners from Borussia Dortmund's preseason campaign
Borussia Dortmund wrapped up their preseason campaign with a 2-2 draw against AS Roma, bringing a close to a rollicking six-game marathon.
From the highs of a 3-2 win over Premier League champions Arsenal to the lows of a 1-0 loss to Cerezo Osaka, the BVB saw it all.
While most of their first team stars missed on account of extended break due to World Cup pariticpation, it threw a chance for many young guns to make a case.
We also got to see the first glimpse of Dortmund's new arrivals, who gained some valuable minutes ahead of their debut campaign.
Here are the biggest winners from their preseason:
1) Fabio Silva
Following an underwhelming 2025-26 season that left many questioning Dortmund's €22.5million investment in him, Fabio Silva entered the preseason knowing he has a point to prove. And the Portuguese came away with flying colors.
He struck the only goal of their Japan tour and was involved in two against Arsenal too, signaling that the forward could be in for a breakout campaign ahead. Silva looked livelier this summer, displaying more attacking flair and tactical intelligence in his game.
2) Konstantinos Karetsas
Given his transfer date, Konstantinos Karetsas could only play two of their six matches. But his impact in both was undeniable: a fabulous strike against Arsenal and helping set up their first against Roma.
The Greek international, costing the BVB a sizeable 30 million euros, has clearly hit the ground running. His ball control is first class and times his runs perfectly to get into some good positions in attacking areas too.
3) Joane Gadou
With many of Dortmund's first-team defenders missing a large chunk of their preseason campaign, new signing Joane Gadou enjoyed some useful minutes and capitalized on his chances with assured displays.
He looked right at home on the right side of their three-man backline while showing maturity and game-reading ability that belied his age. In the Emirates Cup clash against Arsenal, Gadou even scored a confident strike that demonstrated a player that's ready to take the new season by storm.
4) Mathis Albert
The young American had an impressive campaign in the preseason, netting against Fortuna Dusseldorf while gaining some valuable minutes against Cerezo Osaka, FC Tokyo, Arsenal and Roma too as Albert continued his smooth integration into the first-team squad.
However, the biggest takeaway from his game wasn't his numbers, but the fact that Niko Kovac appeared to trust him. The BVB manager even heaped praise on Albert for his aerial ability, pace and exemplary work rate.
