Round of 16 in sight: BVB hopes for a coup in San Siro
Already beaten in the Bundesliga title race, still in the Champions League: Borussia Dortmund have high hopes going into the final spurt of the hammer group F. A glance at the table alone diminishes the respect for the difficult task at AC Milan on Tuesday (9.00 pm/Prime Video) at the iconic San Siro stadium.
The two recent victories over bottom-placed Newcastle United helped them leap into first place and fueled their belief in the round of 16. "When the draw was made in Monaco, I would never have dared to dream that we would have a chance of progressing on the penultimate matchday," commented club boss Hans-Joachim Watzke with pride.
Tight final spurt on the horizon
A win at the third-placed team from Italy, who are two points worse off in the table, would guarantee BVB (7 points) a place in the top flight for the winter. However, even a draw would not decide the outcome until the first round showdown at home to runners-up Paris Saint-Germain on December 13.
"We know what we can now achieve in these two games," said sporting director Sebastian Kehl at Dortmund Airport on Monday. "We've worked hard for this, especially with the two wins against Newcastle. We don't want to let that be taken away from us now."
Despite all the joy about the jump to first place, managing director Watzke still feels a little queasy. After all, there is only ever one point between the neighboring places in the table. "I know that this group is fragile. Anything can still happen," warned the BVB managing director.
Gladbach game gives confidence
The spectacular comeback in the 4:2 win against Mönchengladbach last Saturday was both an encouragement and a warning. The team's morale is a source of confidence, as they still managed to overcome their league rivals from the Lower Rhine despite going 2-0 down early on. "That gives you a bit of confidence. In San Siro you need that confidence in yourself, you don't get anything for free there," said full-back Julian Ryerson. However, the blatant defensive errors at the start of the game, which should play better into the hands of the ruthless Italians than Gladbach, are cause for scepticism.
What speaks in BVB's favor is the low number of goals conceded in the Champions League so far. Only twice in four games has the ball ended up in their own net. This suggests that the Terzic professionals are defending much better on international terrain than in the Bundesliga, where they have already conceded 19 goals in twelve games. For captain Emre Can, this is all the more reason not to approach the difficult task in Milan with trepidation: "We are top of the table and have nothing to hide. We want to try and win the game."
Jamie Bynoe-Gittens could also contribute to this. After his strong performance against Mönchengladbach, the 19-year-old Briton can hope for a place in the starting eleven. The recent poor health of his team-mate Karim Ademyi, who was absent against Mönchengladbach due to a cold, increases his chances of finding favor with coach Terzic - even if Ademeyi and Sébastien Haller also flew to Milan. The coach will have to do without defender Niklas Süle, who is absent due to illness.
Source: www.dpa.com
