Dortmund Drubs Monaco, Continues Satisfying Season

Maybe this time, it's for real.

In recent years, Ballspielverein Borussia 09 e.V. Dortmund -- saying Borussia Dortmund is so much easier -- has made a habit of starting strong, threatening perpetual Bundesliga champion FC Bayern, and then fizzling near the mid-season holiday break.

This schedule pattern has become more reliable than German trains, even though that's not so hard to do anymore.

 

But here it is, mid-December, and der BVB appears to have broken the mold.

They're actually still unbeaten in Bundesliga play:

What's more, die Borussen have now won Group A in the Champions League.

It went down to the head-to-head goal difference tiebreaker against Atlético Madrid, which appears to be further proof that dudes are seeing things going their way this time around:

All they needed was a two-goal margin of victory to edge the Spanish side for top honors, and in their own Stade Louis II, toothless AS Monaco meekly obliged.

Raphaël Guerreiro nicked a goal early and wrapped up the group-clincher late as Dortmund put the pins in a workmanlike 0-2 victory:

 

Manager Lucien Favre has breathed new life into a club that had lost its way.

Their reputation as feisty giant-killers now has a shot at writing a new chapter when Champions League bracket play begins.

 

Still, it's only the halfway point.

Dortmund fans won't truly exhale for a couple of months yet.