Zinsberger and Popp join Dortmund as club renews promotion push
Manuela Zinsberger and Alexandra Popp have made surprise moves to the third-tier Borussia Dortmund women’s team as the club prepares for the new campaign. The squad, together with coaching and support staff, is based in Austria for a pre-season training camp while plotting a bid to reach the 2. Bundesliga after narrowly missing out last season.
Dortmund’s ascent last term was rapid, yet they fell short of promotion, finishing two points off the top and a place in the regional playoffs despite recording a goal difference of +101. That statistical dominance did not translate into the step up the club sought, prompting swift recruitment of high-profile players. Club officials have acted quickly to bolster the squad in an effort to eliminate the repeat of those fine margins.
The signings of Zinsberger and Popp represent a clear statement of intent from a side operating in the third tier but aiming for elite competition. Both moves were described as surprises and underline a determination to close the gap that left Dortmund outside the automatic places last season. Management and staff have concentrated preparations in Austria, combining fitness work with tactical planning to ensure a more decisive outcome when the season resumes.
On the pitch last year Dortmund showed remarkable attacking output and defensive solidity reflected in a +101 goal difference, yet the team still finished just two points shy of the top and a place in the regional playoffs. That combination of impressive statistics and the narrow final table margin has driven the club to prioritise immediate reinforcement. Bringing in established names seeks to convert that underlying performance into the points needed for promotion.
Training camp activities in Austria are intended to accelerate integration of the new arrivals into Dortmund’s setup and to refine the strategies that produced the club’s rapid rise. Players and staff are working through preseason routines alongside tactical sessions aimed at avoiding another near-miss. The club’s transfer approach signals an ambition to match their recent on-field numbers with the results required to move up.
The additions of Zinsberger and Popp raise expectations that Dortmund will turn last season’s near-success into concrete progress toward the 2. Bundesliga. The team’s preparations in Austria and the targeted signings are designed to ensure there is no repeat of falling just short.