Dortmund has on average 55 percent possession in their matches, five percent less than Juventus. However, BVB is the side which can do more with less possession in the UEFA Champions League; in the 2012-13 season, they put four goals past Ajax with only 36 percent possession. In the Bundesliga, Dortmund have struggled to create in matches in which they have dominated possession precisely because the team likes to counter attack and press the opponent incessantly into making mistakes.
The height advantage for Dortmund, despite Juventus’ tall players, might help them find a crucial away goal. Dortmund wins 29.6 percent of aerial duals away from home whereas Juventus wins a paltry (in comparison) 11.3 percent of their aerial duals at home. Dortmund’s pressing leads to a high number of interceptions per game. Away from home, they intercept the ball 19.2 times per match; Juventus only manages to intercept the ball 13.7 times per home game. As many teams will account for, one interception in the wrong area of the pitch can lead to havoc against the German side from the Ruhr region.
Dortmund’s play tends to be almost equally concentrated on all parts of the pitch. Thus, it comes as no surprise to see that they put in 72 long passes away from home in every match compared to Juventus’ 53 at home. Thus, there is an element of surprise in Dortmund’s play which could potentially catch Juventus out.
The final factor which might fall in Marco Reus’ BVB’s favor is the age factor. Although the team has matured, Borussia Dortmund remains a relatively young side compared to Juventus. Juventus’ play is focused on building up to goals with accurate short passes. BVB’s speed counteracts such build up play.
Can Dortmund surprise the opposition and come away with a hopeful result from Italy?
*Thanks to www.whoscored.com for the stats!
