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19.04.2024Bundesliga

Our next opponents: Welcoming the champions after Atletico heroics

Borussia Dortmund enjoyed a dazzling night of football on Tuesday, progressing to the semi-finals of the UEFA Champions League with a 4-2 win over Atletico Madrid. On Sunday 21 April (kick-off 17:30 CEST), the Black and Yellows want to pull off another coup and inflict a first defeat of the season on newly minted German champions Bayer 04. A look at our next opponents...
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Position

The 81,365 spectators inside Signal-Iduna-Park on Tuesday night witnessed a thrilling match. "These are the evenings that you play football for," beamed Julian Brandt. "Feeling these emotions, seeing the happy faces after a patchy season, it's a lot of fun." It was an emotional roller coaster for BVB and their fans in midweek. Trailing 2-1 from the first leg, goals from Brandt and Ian Maatsen had Dortmund on course for the semi-finals at half-time. However, Atletico hit back through a Mats Hummels own goal and Angel Correa. Niclas Füllkrug regained the lead on the night with a header, before the excellent Marcel Sabitzer sparked delirium in the stands with his goal to clinch a 4-2 win. "The stadium carried us, it was an unbelievable atmosphere," said the Austrian. BVB CEO Hans-Joachim Watzke spoke of a roller-coaster ride and praised the team's reaction to Madrid's equaliser: "To come back like that... It was extraordinary, it's a proud day for all Borussen." Dortmund coach Edin Terzic summarised: "Once again there were two moments that hurt us and could've turned the whole thing on its head, but despite that we never lost the belief and held on to what we're good at. When you watch both games, we deserve to be in the semi-finals. That's a big thing for our club."

It's the fourth time in the club's history and the first since 2013 that Borussia Dortmund have reached the final four of the Champions League. They'll face Paris Saint-Germain, who BVB already met in this season's group stage (0-2, 1-1). For now, though, Dortmund's full concentration is on two big matches in the Bundesliga. Brandt is expecting "an extremely tough game" against his former club, and just a week later, he and his teammates travel to Leipzig. BVB, who have won five of their last six league games, are currently in fifth place, level on points with fourth-placed RB Leipzig.

Personnel

Terzic is without strikers Karim Adeyemi (suspension) and Sebastian Haller (ankle) on Sunday as well as defender Ramy Bensebaini (knee). Winger Donyell Malen, who was absent in the Champions League on Tuesday because of a knee problem, could return to the squad. It's likely that Terzic will rotate in some positions following the win over Atletico, meaning the likes of Niklas Süle, Marco Reus, Salih Özcan or Jamie Bynoe-Gittens could be recalled to the starting line-up.

performers

With 18 goals from set pieces this season, Dortmund are the most successful team from dead balls after Bayer 04 and Bayern Munich (both 19). With the amount of pace in the team, it's also no surprise that they're among the most dangerous teams in the league on the counter. Like the Werkself, the Black and Yellows have netted eight times after quick transitional play. Overall, Dortmund boast the fifth-best attack in the German top flight with 57 goals. Füllkrug (11), Malen (11) and Brandt (6) have accounted for nearly half of them, while the latter is the second-best provider in the league with 12 assists, behind Alejandro Grimaldo and Leipzig's Xavi (both 13). Furthermore, Austria international Sabitzer is enjoying a good run of form. The 30-year-old summer signing was the match-winner in last weekend's 2-1 victory at Mönchengladbach last weekend with a brace, before scoring one and setting up two against Atletico.

BVB are also among the top sides in the Bundesliga defensively: 34 goals conceded puts them third in the table. Interestingly, Borussia have collected more points on their travels this season (30) than at home (26), and have only lost one of their 15 away league outings (1-2 at VfB Stuttgart), winning eight and drawing six. They even managed their first success at arch-rivals Bayern in almost 10 years recently (2-0).  Like Leverkusen, they fight until the last minute, as proven by 16 goals in the final 15 minutes of games. That's second only to Bayern (18) and one more than the Werkself.

Problems

Terzic's charges have already been beaten four times in the league at Signal-Iduna-Park. Over the last 15 seasons, they only suffered more home losses in the 2014/15 campaign (5). Dortmund have been vulnerable in two areas in particular: over half of the 34 goals they've conceded have come from set pieces (13) and counter-attacks (7).

Prediction

Reaching the semi-finals of the Champions League should give BVB extra wind in their sails for the clash against Bayer 04, building on their consistently strong performances in the league in recent weeks. With five wins from the last six games, Hummels, Brandt and Co have put themselves in a good position for the conclusion to the season. Now they face two crucial fixtures. "We know we need two wins against Leverkusen and Leipzig in order to play in the Champions League again next year," said sporting director Sebastian Kehl. Although if the Bundesliga receives a fifth spot for the competition - which it looks like at the moment - Borussia's current position of fifth would suffice. And with a 14-point cushion over Eintracht Frankfurt in sixth, that isn't realistically in danger.

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