But for Norwegian full-back Julian Ryerson, second place holds little appeal.
Ryerson revealed he no longer even keeps the medal from Dortmund's 2024 Champions League final defeat to Real Madrid. "I've said since I was a kid that I don't want to collect second places.
"I've already given away my 2024 Champions League medal, it's somewhere in my parents' cupboard. Second places don't interest me," he told Ruhr Nachrichten after Dortmund's 1-1 draw with RB Leipzig on Sunday.
Despite the draw, Ryerson believes Dortmund's season has started positively. "To be honest, we could have taken more points. But the start makes me optimistic.
"The energy in the team is good, and we fight for each other," he said.
He also praised the team's defensive stability, which has been a key factor in their unbeaten run. "We really wanted to win against Leipzig, even though we didn't create many big chances.
"Overall, we concede very few goals, which gives me confidence," Ryerson added.
Dortmund now focus on maintaining momentum in the Bundesliga while keeping an eye on their Champions League ambitions. Ryerson's attitude signals a squad determined to aim higher than second place this season.
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Inter Milan captain Lautaro Martinez is facing around a month out of action after suffering a hamstring injury, dealing a major blow to the Serie A leaders.
Manchester United defender Lisandro Martinez has admitted that anger and frustration after the 2-0 Champions League defeat to Atletico Madrid prompted his criticism of the club's transfer strategy.
Deniz Undav ended his goalscoring drought as VfB Stuttgart beat Slovan Bratislava 3-0 in the Champions League on Wednesday, insisting that team success matters more than his personal statistics.
