Plenty in reserve

Borussia Dortmund enters the international break in good heart as wire-to-wire leaders of the Bundesliga after a record start to the season (19 points after seven games). It is early days but confirmation of a favourable reaction to new coach Peter Bosz and key player signings even if found wanting at the highest level in recent Champions League. A positive annual report and the remarkable sale of Dembélé to Barcelona further prompt us to raise substantially our current-year forecast. For FY19 we are confident that Dortmund’s conspicuously successful development record and transfer policy as well as initial benefits from Champions League reform should generate another strong outturn, even if Dembélé makes FY18 a hard act to follow.