Afghanistan
Angola
Argentina
Asia (AFC)
Asian Games
Australia
Belgium-Netherlands
Brazil
Burkina Faso
Central American & Caribbean Games
Central American Games
Congo DR
Denmark
England
Europe (UEFA)
FYR Macedonia
Finland
Germany
Greece
International Tournaments
Italy
Mediterranean Games
Mexico
National
Nepal
North & Central America (Concacaf)
Palestine
Pan American Games
Panama
Russia
Scandinavia
Serbia And Montenegro
South American Games
Spain
Syria
USA
Venezuela
World (FIFA)
Yemen
Zimbabwe

Dortmundvs.Atletico

sportsmole.co.uk, 14 April 2024, 16:47
Borussia Dortmund and Atletico Madrid will go head-to-head for a spot in the semi-finals of the Champions League on Tuesday night, with the pair locking horns in the second leg of their quarter-final.

Atletico have a narrow lead to protect, having recorded a 2-1 victory in the first leg at Wanda Metropolitano, but it is delicately poised ahead of what should be a fascinating contest at Signal Iduna Park.

Match preview

Dortmund were comfortably second-best in the first half of their quarter-final with Atletico, and goals from Rodrigo De Paul and Samuel Lino sent the Spanish team two goals ahead. At the interval, it was difficult to see a route back, but BVB were much improved in the second period.

Sebastien Haller came up with the away side's goal in the 81st minute of the clash at Wanda Metropolitano, and it is now delicately poised, with Dortmund trailing in the tie but now having home advantage.

Edin Terzic's side will enter the match off the back of a 2-1 victory over Borussia Monchengladbach in the Bundesliga, with the result leaving them fifth in the table, level on points with fourth-placed RB Leipzig.

Dortmund navigated their way past PSV Eindhoven in the last-16 stage of this season's competition, recording a 3-1 aggregate success, and they also impressed in the group stage, finishing ahead of Paris Saint-Germain to top Group F, with AC Milan dropping into the Europa League.

BVB have not progressed past the quarter-finals of the Champions League since famously reaching the final in 2012-13, ultimately losing 2-1 to Bundesliga rivals Bayern Munich, and they were knocked out of last season's tournament in the round of 16 by Chelsea.

Atletico will feel that they should have been out of sight in the first leg considering their dominance in the opening 45 minutes, and it remains to be seen whether they will be made to pay in the second leg.

Diego Simeone's side have responded impressively to their 3-0 defeat to Barcelona before the international break, winning their last two in the league against Villarreal and Girona either side of the success over Dortmund.

The Red and Whites beat Girona 3-1 in La Liga on Saturday, and they are fourth in the table, five points ahead of fifth-placed Athletic Bilbao, with the team in charge of their own destiny when it comes to the top four.

Atletico impressively overcame Inter Milan in the last-16 stage of this season's competition, winning a penalty shootout after the two teams were level at 2-2 after the second leg.

The capital giants went unbeaten in the group stage, meanwhile, picking up 14 points from their six matches to top a section which involved Lazio, Feyenoord and Celtic.

Atletico failed to make it out of the group stage of last season's Champions League, while they have not been past the final eight since featuring against Real Madrid in the semi-finals back in 2016-17.

Borussia Dortmund Champions League form:

W

W

D

D

W

L

Borussia Dortmund form (all competitions):

W

W

W

L

L

W

Atletico Madrid Champions League form:

W

W

W

L

W

W

Atletico Madrid form (all competitions):

L

W

L

W

W

W

Team News

Dortmund were missing Jadon Sancho against Borussia Monchengladbach on Saturday due to illness, but the on-loan Manchester United attacker is expected to return to the side on Tuesday night.

Haller picked up a knock in the team's last match, which saw him replaced early on, and the experienced forward could miss out on Tuesday, while Ramy Bensebaini is absent due to a knee problem.

Fit-again Donyell Malen could come into the XI for this match, while Julian Brandt, who was a half-time substitute against Atletico in the first leg, is also pushing to be included in midfield.

Only Malen (13) has scored more times than Niclas Fullkrug for BVB this term, and the 31-year-old is set to lead the line against Atletico on Tuesday night.

As for Atletico, Memphis Depay is absent with a muscular problem, while Thomas Lemar and Marcos Paulo are also unavailable for selection, but Mario Hermoso was back against Girona on Saturday.

Saul Niguez will require a late fitness test, having been replaced in the latter stages of the first period against Girona in La Liga.

Pablo Barrios will be back in the squad, having missed out on Saturday through suspension, while Jose Gimenez, Cesar Azpilicueta, Marcos Llorente, Axel Witsel, Lino and Alvaro Morata are also set to return to the side after being rested from the start in the league last time out.

There is every chance that Simeone will go with the side that started the first leg against Dortmund, with Antoine Griezmann again featuring in the final third of the field.

Borussia Dortmund possible starting lineup:

Kobel; Ryerson, Hummels, Schlotterbeck, Maatsen; Sabitzer, Can, Brandt; Sancho, Fullkrug, Malen

Atletico Madrid possible starting lineup:

Oblak; Witsel, Gimenez, Azpilicueta; Molina, Llorente, Koke, De Paul, Lino; Griezmann, Morata

We say: Borussia Dortmund 2-2 Atletico Madrid (Atletico win 4-3 on aggregate)

There is nothing to separate these two teams in the head-to-head record, with both posting three wins from their seven matches, while there has also been one draw.

It would not be a surprise to see Dortmund turn this one around on Tuesday, but there is just something about Atletico at this stage of the competition, and we are backing the Madrid giants to claim a draw, which would see them advance to the semi-finals of the Champions League once again.

Previews by email

Top News

14 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk England moved to the top of their 2024-25 UEFA Nations League group on Thursday evening courtesy of a 3-0 victory over Greece. 14 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Didier Deschamps was left frustrated on Thursday as his France side failed to capitalise on their dominance against Israel, being held to a 0-0 draw, though they still progressed to the UEFA Nations League quarterfinals after Italy beat Belgium in the other League A Group 2 fixture. 14 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk England have risen to the top of Group 2 of League B in the UEFA Nations League courtesy of a 3-0 victory over Greece in Athens on Thursday night. 14 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Sandro Tonali's first international goal was enough to send Italy through to the finals of the UEFA Nations League courtesy of a 1-0 win away in Belgium this evening. 14 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Chelsea Women and Manchester City Women will go head-to-head in Saturday's top-of-the-table clash at Stamford Bridge. 14 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Pep Guardiola has asked Manchester City to sign two defenders in 2025, according to a report. 14 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Al-Nassr centre-back Aymeric Laporte has said that he is open to making the move to Real Madrid. 14 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Barcelona sporting director Deco has said that his club are not planning to be active during the January transfer window. 14 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Moldova can boost their hopes of securing promotion from League D Group 2 in the UEFA Nations League when they face fellow European minnows Andorra at Estadi Nacional on Saturday. 14 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Montenegro welcome Iceland to Stadion Kraj Bistrice in Niksic for their penultimate League B Group 4 fixture in the UEFA Nations League on Saturday evening. 14 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Arsenal Women and Tottenham Hotspur Women will be looking to secure derby bragging rights when they face off in Saturday's Women's Super League clash at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. 14 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Nacho has ruled out the possibility of returning to Real Madrid amid suggestions that Los Blancos were considering making an attempt to re-sign him during the January transfer window. 14 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Two teams with contrasting objectives in the National League are set to meet at the Gateshead International Stadium on Saturday, as promotion hopefuls Gateshead host relegation-threatened Aldershot Town. 14 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Ruben Amorim will reportedly take Manchester United training for the first time on Monday, with the club confident that his visa will have arrived in time for him to officially get on the grass next week. 14 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Argentina head coach Lionel Scaloni has said that a back issue forced Lisandro Martinez to pull out of the squad for the national team's upcoming 2026 World Cup qualification matches with Paraguay and Peru. 14 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Bayer Leverkusen manager Xabi Alonso has reportedly set his sights on an exit from the club next summer, and plans to take key man Alex Grimaldo with him. 14 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Locked together at the top of League C Group 1 with two games to play, Sweden and Slovakia will battle it out to take the outright lead when they meet on Saturday evening. 14 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Arsenal will reportedly allow out-of-favour defender Jakub Kiwior to leave the club on loan in January. 14 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Wales travel to the Kadir Has Stadium in Kayseri to face Turkey in their penultimate League B Group 4 fixture in the UEFA Nations League on Saturday evening. 14 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Barcelona midfielder Pablo Torre has not ruled out the possibility of leaving the club in January, after seeing his game time reduced recently. 14 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Aiming to narrow their gap to the top two in the League One table with a third consecutive victory, Barnsley will visit the Abbey Stadium to take on Cambridge United on Saturday. 14 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Alexander Isak has delivered a fresh update on his future at Newcastle United, amid reported interest from a number of clubs including Arsenal. 14 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk West Ham United Women will attempt to claim back-to-back victories when they travel to the Broadfield Stadium for Saturday's Women's Super League meeting with Brighton & Hove Albion Women. 14 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Roma have confirmed the appointment of 73-year-old Claudio Ranieri as their new first-team manager until the end of the season. 14 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Newcastle United winger Anthony Gordon has revealed that he was "desperate" to join Chelsea in 2022. 14 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Arsenal could rival Manchester City and Liverpool for the signature of Real Sociedad midfielder Martin Zubimendi. 14 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Liverpool are reportedly weighing up whether to make a move for in-form PSV Eindhoven striker Ricardo Pepi. 14 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk As exquisite as Pedro Neto's equaliser was, the Portuguese's 20-yard leveller for Chelsea in Sunday's 1-1 Premier League draw with Arsenal was arguably more to do with the Gunners' uncharacteristic defensive failings. 14 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Barcelona have reportedly made a decision over whether they will pursue a move for Liverpool right-back Trent Alexander-Arnold. 14 November 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Estevao Willian has revealed that he will continue with his education even after completing a big-money transfer to Chelsea.