Borussia Dortmund Faces Uphill Battle Against Barcelona in Champions League

DORTMUND, Germany — Facing a daunting challenge, Borussia Dortmund will confront FC Barcelona in the Champions League quarterfinal second leg on Tuesday at 21:00 CET, knowing they must overcome a significant 0:4 deficit from the first match.

Sporting director Sebastian Kehl emphasized the importance of Bundesliga matches over the Champions League following last week’s loss. “We know that the Bundesliga is the priority,” he stated, reflecting on Barcelona’s dominant performance in the previous game.

Head coach Niko Kovac has decided to rest his captain, Emre Can, who has been nursing muscle problems in his adductor area. “We spared him today because he has had muscular issues for weeks,” Kovac noted, adding that Can may not feature against Barcelona. This decision comes as the team faces the absence of another key defender, Nico Schlotterbeck, sidelined for months.

While Schlotterbeck made a motivational visit to the training ground, the uncertainty surrounding the team’s ability to execute a comeback looms large. “Miracles happen occasionally,” Kovac humorously remarked, but acknowledged the odds against them with the stark reality of Barcelona’s historical strength. Lars Ricken, Dortmund’s sporting chief, described advancing as potentially “the greatest football miracle” in the club’s history.

Following the 0:4 defeat, Kehl candidly acknowledged, “A 0:4 against Barcelona is not a favorable starting position.” Despite a significant uphill battle, midfielder Felix Nmecha offered a glimmer of hope, stressing that with their fans behind them, anything is possible. “We need to make a perfect game. With our fans, everything is possible. We have to believe in this,” he said.

For Dortmund, the focus is to avoid a repeat of their earlier performance and to exit the competition with dignity. “We want to win the game. By how much, we will see, but we certainly want to show a different face than in the first leg,” said Kovac.

Evaluating the previous game, Kovac had changed the successful three-man defense that had served the team well in the Bundesliga to a four-man setup, which ultimately faltered against Barcelona. Reflecting on the misfire, he said, “I knew it wouldn’t work in Barcelona.”

In their most recent Bundesliga match against Bayern Munich, Kovac reverted to a three-man defense, and it appears that he will stick to this strategy against Barcelona. “The team performed well. It’s suitable for tomorrow,” Kovac confirmed. Kehl also praised the decision, revealing that team leaders had advocated for returning to the three-man setup following the Barcelona debacle and ahead of the critical Bundesliga match.

As Dortmund prepares for a potential final Champions League appearance for at least 17 months, with a six-point deficit from the Champions League positions in the Bundesliga, the stakes are high. “As players, you always want to play in the Champions League. We must enjoy it and not think too far ahead. We certainly still have chances in the league,” Nmecha concluded.