With Borussia Dortmund trying to establish itself as a strong force in European football, a win against Real Madrid might be the perfect way to enforce the claim.
There are so many fascinating aspects to the Borussia Dortmund and Real Madrid UEFA Champions League semi-final, the first leg of which is to be played on Wednesday night. Both teams will be more than eager to go all the way and lift the trophy at Wembley, marking a historic season to either of the clubs.
The Spanish giants last won the competition back in 2002, their ninth such win, and their Portuguese manager Jose Mourinho will be more than determined to end this barren run and bring home the most prized trophy in Europe. The Germans, on the other hand, have a less celebrated history when it comes to winning the UEFA Champions League, having won the title back in 1997. Manager Jurgen Klopp will try to get the better of his opponents from Spain in the first leg of the semi-final in hope of eventually lifting the trophy for his club.
Despite Real Madrid’s rich European history, what goes in favour of Klopp’s men is their determined performances against the Spanish when the two sides met twice in their Group D matches. Dortmund managed to win one game 2-1, and draw the other 2-2, showing that it knows well how to score against Mourinho’s side.
However, this is a different stage altogether and the pressure of getting knocked out of the competition at the slightest of mistakes can take its toll on the best of players. Dortmund will be well aware of Real Madrid’s attacking strength, and a huge chunk of the pre-match preparation will go into how to contain the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Mesut Ozil and Angel Di Maria, all players of the highest calibre, having the ability to destroy the opposition if let loose.
Madrid have scored the most number of goals in the competition so far with 23 goals, and Ronaldo is the leading goal-scorer having put the ball in the net 11 times. The Portuguese winger is also just one short of fifty shots on target in the competition, making him a serious force that needs to be dealt with. Nine of Madrid’s goals so far have come from shots taken outside the box, which means that the German defenders will have to be alert at all times.
On the contrary, 17 of Dortmund’s 19 goals have come from inside the box, which means that Mourinho will have to instruct his defenders to particularly careful every time a Dortmund player comes within 18 yards of the goal. Dortmund’s leading scorer has been Robert Lewandowski, his six goals in the competition playing a vital role in bringing the Germans this far.
What Mourinho will also need to be weary of is the on-field discipline of his players. Real Madrid have been shown two red and 18 yellow cards thus far in the UEFA Champions League, a far greater number when compared to the nine yellows shown to Borussia Dortmund players. It will be essential for both sides to maintain all 11 players on the pitch, and any suspension might be accompanied by serious draw-backs for the club’s fate in Europe this season.
The tie holds great importance for both the clubs. Madrid having for long waited for La Decima are now finally in a position where they can achieve the feat.
Dortmund on the other hand were recently struck a blow when their prodigal playmaker Mario Gotze announced his decision to join rivals Bayern Munich next season. Winning the European competition will make Dortmund a much attractive club by the end of the season and might allow them to replace a player of the quality and competence of Mario Gotze.
The Spanish giants last won the competition back in 2002, their ninth such win, and their Portuguese manager Jose Mourinho will be more than determined to end this barren run and bring home the most prized trophy in Europe. The Germans, on the other hand, have a less celebrated history when it comes to winning the UEFA Champions League, having won the title back in 1997. Manager Jurgen Klopp will try to get the better of his opponents from Spain in the first leg of the semi-final in hope of eventually lifting the trophy for his club.
Despite Real Madrid’s rich European history, what goes in favour of Klopp’s men is their determined performances against the Spanish when the two sides met twice in their Group D matches. Dortmund managed to win one game 2-1, and draw the other 2-2, showing that it knows well how to score against Mourinho’s side.
However, this is a different stage altogether and the pressure of getting knocked out of the competition at the slightest of mistakes can take its toll on the best of players. Dortmund will be well aware of Real Madrid’s attacking strength, and a huge chunk of the pre-match preparation will go into how to contain the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Mesut Ozil and Angel Di Maria, all players of the highest calibre, having the ability to destroy the opposition if let loose.
Madrid have scored the most number of goals in the competition so far with 23 goals, and Ronaldo is the leading goal-scorer having put the ball in the net 11 times. The Portuguese winger is also just one short of fifty shots on target in the competition, making him a serious force that needs to be dealt with. Nine of Madrid’s goals so far have come from shots taken outside the box, which means that the German defenders will have to be alert at all times.
On the contrary, 17 of Dortmund’s 19 goals have come from inside the box, which means that Mourinho will have to instruct his defenders to particularly careful every time a Dortmund player comes within 18 yards of the goal. Dortmund’s leading scorer has been Robert Lewandowski, his six goals in the competition playing a vital role in bringing the Germans this far.
What Mourinho will also need to be weary of is the on-field discipline of his players. Real Madrid have been shown two red and 18 yellow cards thus far in the UEFA Champions League, a far greater number when compared to the nine yellows shown to Borussia Dortmund players. It will be essential for both sides to maintain all 11 players on the pitch, and any suspension might be accompanied by serious draw-backs for the club’s fate in Europe this season.
The tie holds great importance for both the clubs. Madrid having for long waited for La Decima are now finally in a position where they can achieve the feat.
Dortmund on the other hand were recently struck a blow when their prodigal playmaker Mario Gotze announced his decision to join rivals Bayern Munich next season. Winning the European competition will make Dortmund a much attractive club by the end of the season and might allow them to replace a player of the quality and competence of Mario Gotze.
