Borussia Dortmund is set to host Barcelona in the second leg of their Champions League quarter-final tie on Tuesday, facing a daunting task after a 4-0 defeat in the first leg.
The Catalans dominated that match, leaving Dortmund with a significant hill to climb as they seek a miracle on home soil.
In their all-time meetings, Borussia Dortmund and Barcelona have faced each other six times, with Dortmund yet to secure a win.
The statistics show that Barcelona has won four matches, while two have ended in draws. Notably, Barcelona remains unbeaten in their previous encounters with Dortmund.
In terms of team news, Dortmund will be without injured players Schlotterbeck and Sabitzer, both sidelined due to ACL injuries.
Fortunately for them, there are no suspensions to contend with. On the other hand, Barcelona will miss Balde (hamstring), Bernal (ACL), Casado (ACL), and Ter Stegen (ACL), but also have no suspensions affecting their lineup.
Both managers have shared their thoughts ahead of the match.
Niko Kovac of Borussia Dortmund emphasized the need for a strong response: “We know the situation and that we didn’t play well in the first leg.
On Tuesday, we want to show a completely different face and win the game. But we also recognize that Barcelona have not lost a competitive game this year, which complicates things.”
Hansi Flick, manager of Barcelona, reflected on his team’s first-leg success: “I was very happy to win 4-0 at Montjuïc, but tomorrow will not be an easy game.
The team should enjoy what they’re doing, and we are ready to deliver. We want to play well for ourselves and for the traveling fans who always support us. We won’t let our concentration drop.”
As for the prediction, Dortmund is expected to aggressively pursue goals at home, which may leave them vulnerable to counterattacks from a confident Barcelona side.
While Barcelona can afford to be cautious, they remain determined to avoid a loss as they aim for a smooth progression into the next round.
