BORUSSIA DORTMUND lost further ground in the Bundesliga title race following a disastrous 5-1 defeat to newly-promoted Stuttgart.
Lucien Favre’s side have now suffered three straight defeats at home in the league for the first time since Jurgen Klopp’s days in charge back in the 2013-14 season.
Dortmund remain in fifth and five points off the top following champions Bayern Munich’s 1-1 draw against Union Berlin.
BVB – who were without the injured Erling Haaland – fell behind early on as Silas Wamangituka swept home a 26th-minute penalty, after Emre Can had brought down Mateo Klimowicz.
American teenager Giovanni Reyna then brought the hosts on level terms with a stunning touch and finish from Raphael Guerreiro’s deft pass.
But Stuttgart scored three times in 11 minutes after the break with Wamangituka adding a second before strikes from Philipp Forster and Tanguy Coulibaly.
That was a disaster. It was bad.
Borussia Dortmund boss Lucien Favre
Nicolas Gonzalez then compounded Dortmund’s misery by adding a fifth in injury time.
England starlet Jude Bellingham, 17, was denied his first Bundesliga goal thanks to a Marco Reus offside, while the flag was also up to prevent Reyna from notching a late consolation.
Dortmund boss Favre said: “That was a disaster. It was bad.
“We weren’t good at winning the ball. We made too many big mistakes.
“That’s hard to explain. If you are not good at winning the ball, I mean the whole team, then you have a problem.
“Stuttgart played well, but we were very, very bad. That will not do. Stuttgart played well in the first half, but we made it 1-1.
“Still, we wanted to do better in the second half. We gave up a very stupid goal. That worried the team. We weren’t there today.”
Borussia Dortmund were thumped at home to StuttgartCredit: EPA
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk