The longing for a magical night mobilizes the last of your strength. In the quarter-final second leg of the Champions League against Atlético Madrid, Borussia Dortmund wants to build on the old, glorious festival seasons on the big stage.
The possible first semi-final entry in eleven years makes it possible to forget the strains of the recent deadline rush and new personnel concerns. After the rather flattering 1:2 in the first duel just six days earlier, coach Edin Terzic is hoping for an unforgettable moment of glory: “We need our own heroes in black and yellow.”
Similar to the football teacher, Sebastian Kehl also relies on the seething atmosphere in the sold-out local football cathedral. “We will need the energy that comes from outside. Then I firmly believe that we can handle it,” said the sports director before the showdown on Tuesday (9 p.m./Amazon Prime Video) against the Spaniards, who are known for their defensive skills.
Unlike in the Bundesliga, in which Borussia, in fifth place, is currently not living up to its own standards, in Europe there is the chance of a prestigious coup and a whopping additional income of at least 12.5 million euros. A lot will depend on whether coach Terzic’s team sells better than in the first leg, in which there was a threat of a fiasco after a dismal start. Only thanks to Sébastien Haller’s late goal can Borussia continue to hope for entry into the illustrious circle of the four best continental teams.
Kehl: “It will be a very intense game”
But the “Rojiblancos” around former BVB professional Axel Witsel are unlikely to appear as bold and offensive as they did last Wednesday in the Estadio Metropolitano in Dortmund. After all, their coach Diego Simeone, who is known as a hothead, is a big fan of merciless defensive tactics with effective counterattacks. “It will be a very intense game. We will wait for our chances and have to work hard for them,” speculated Kehl.
With a similar philosophy, Atlético has already reached the final twice under Simeone’s direction (2014 and 2016). But to the chagrin of their football teacher, the defense is not as stable as it was back then this season. In the 3-1 win over FC Girona last weekend, his team conceded their 58th goal in their 46th competitive game. There has never been an average of 1.25 goals conceded per game in Simeone’s tenure since 2011.
Things got toxic at times in the first leg. Sports director Kehl had a heated argument with Simeone on the sidelines and later received a lot of approval online. When asked whether a similar level of defense would be required on Tuesday, Julian Brandt replied: “We have to stay patient, calm and, above all, focused. That’s how we have to defeat Atlético and not in infights off the pitch.”
BVB is worried about the use of Malen and Bynoe-Gittens
Dortmund are not really fresh going into the game. Last Saturday’s 1-2 defeat in Mönchengladbach was more difficult than planned because the narrow lead had to be defended with a lot of passion after Karim Adeyemi was sent off (55th minute). In addition, goal scorer Haller and dribbling artist Jamie Bynoe-Gittens sustained injuries.
African champion Haller, who fought his way back into the starting line-up after a long break, will therefore be out for at least another two weeks. Bynoe-Gittens, who had a back injury, was only able to train individually in the final session, just like strike partner Donyell Malen. On the other hand, Jadon Sancho, who was missing on Saturday due to a gastrointestinal infection, returns to the squad.
Niclas Füllkrug may also be first choice again. The fact that the national striker didn’t play at all in Mönchengladbach had less to do with load control and more to do with his poor form for weeks and persistent sluggishness. Terzic left it open whether Füllkrug or Youssoufa Moukoko, who was first substituted in Mönchengladbach and then replaced, would be in the starting line-up for Haller: “We have already shown good games with Niclas, but also with Youssoufa.”
