Champions League
Muted anticipation: BVB without tailwind to Madrid
Traveling to Madrid with personnel concerns: BVB coach Nuri Sahin. photo
© Bernd Thissen/dpa
For coach Nuri Sahin it is a trip into the past, for many BVB professionals it is a chance for revenge. 144 days after the 2-0 defeat in the final, BVB will face Real Madrid again in the premier class.
The away record so far is sobering, the personnel situation remains tense – there can be no question of carefree anticipation at Borussia Dortmund for the new edition of the last Champions League final against Real Madrid. Although BVB travels to the defending champions as league leaders in the premier class, their worries prevail.
Despite unfavorable omens, Sebastian Kehl hopes that the team will show a different face on Tuesday (9 p.m./Amazon Prime) in the Bernabeu football temple than in their recent dreary appearances in the domestic league. “I definitely don’t see us without a chance. We showed that in the final a few weeks ago,” said the sports director, referring to the long open final (0-2) at Wembley at the beginning of June.
Two comfortable victories in Bruges (3:0) and against Celtic Glasgow (7:1) gave the Bundesliga seventh place the first place in the table. But only in a duel with world stars Kylian Mbappé and Vinicius will it become clear how meaningful this snapshot really is. “You just have to enjoy this game,” recommended national player Waldemar Anton, “if we push ourselves to our limits, we can play a good game.”
Courageous like Stuttgart
However, if Borussia presents itself as anemic against the Champions League record winners as in the previous unsuccessful Bundesliga away games in Bremen (0:0), Stuttgart (1:5) and at Union Berlin (1:2), there is a risk of a rude awakening.
Nuri Sahin didn’t have much time to work on his team’s weaknesses. After the international break and Friday’s game against St. Pauli, the coach only had one session left on Monday. And it didn’t take place at the venue as usual, but in Dortmund. This was intended to prevent any real observers from spying on the tactic.
In mid-September, VfB Stuttgart showed how successful coach Carlo Ancelotti’s star ensemble from the Spanish capital can be cracked. The Swabians were close to winning a point for a long time, but in the end they were undeservedly defeated 1:3. Kehl hopes for a similarly courageous performance from Borussia – but with a happy ending: “We will have our chances. Stuttgart has shown that. The Spaniards offer opportunities and space.”
Sahin’s return to his old place of work
As a former Real professional (2011 to 2012), football teacher Sahin knows only too well what power the “Royals” can develop at home. In order to be well prepared, he said he had already watched “one or two Real games” on video during the last international break. However, the 36-year-old is more concerned about the personnel situation in his own team than the Spaniards’ combination skills: “We only have a few players at the moment,” complained Sahin.
Attackers Karim Adeyemi, Julien Duranville and Giovanni Reyna are missing, as is right-back Yan Couto. In addition, the use of pace setter Pascal Groß and defensive veteran Niklas Süle is uncertain. Groß had to be substituted at half-time on doctors’ advice in the difficult 2-1 win against St. Pauli last Friday. After a stubborn gastrointestinal virus, Süle is still not fully resilient. Both took part in the final training session, but are unlikely to be available for 90 minutes. In addition, regular goalkeeper Gregor Kobel was missing from the last session before departure.
Really under pressure
It could be an advantage for Borussia that the second-placed team in the Spanish league is under more pressure. After the surprising 0-1 on the second matchday in Lille, a home win is mandatory for the co-favorites for the title in order not to fall further behind in the fight for the top eight places in the table.
