Borussia Dortmund received a lot of empathy this midweek following their narrow 2-1 defeat to Manchester City. The Black and Yellows were wrongly denied a goal due to poor refereeing and now have to win the second leg if they are to advance through to the semi-finals of the UEFA Champions League for the first time since 2013. Here are some of the key issues Borussia Dortmund will need to take care of when they host the Citizens at the Signal Iduna Park later this month.
How Borussia Dortmund Can Knock Manchester City Out
Persist With A High-Risk Build-Up Game
One of the highlights from Borussia Dortmund’s defeat to Man City was the high-risk build-up play that saw them take on the opposition’s first line of press and play out from the back.
While it certainly put them at risk of conceding dangerous turnovers, it did offer a lot of space and time for attacking players to move the ball forward, in the event of the breakthrough.
Edin Terzic should be hoping for more of the same in the second leg, especially given the fact that both Manuel Akanji and Mats Hummels are quality enough to not only evade the first line of press but also offer those passes in between the lines.
Overload The Midfield
In addition to finding those laser passes in midfield, it will be key for Borussia Dortmund to prevent the opposition from winning loose balls. It led to a period of dominance from Manchester City, especially during the final phase of the game as Terzic’s men went too deep, failing to leave any men in the middle of the park.
It allowed the hosts to recycle the ball quickly and generate attacks from the middle third of the pitch. It will be important on Dortmund’s part to restrict these situations, especially knowing the creative prowess of their opposition.
Score Early
It is fair to assume that Borussia Dortmund’s fate in this encounter will hinge on whether or not they manage to score a goal early.
It will give them the psychological boost they will need to pull off a defensive masterclass. But most importantly, it will force Manchester City to hurry things up, perhaps offering more space on the counter or frustrate the attackers.
The Citizens are best when they are given the time to build things up and that is where an early goal from Borussia Dortmund could hugely spoil their party, perhaps even making the Bundesliga giants favourites to seal this tie.
