After getting through to the semi-finals of the DFB cup, Borussia Dortmund will host FC Ingolstadt in the Signal Iduna Park in a Friday night encounter. The Black and Yellows will look to close the gap between them and second-placed Leipzig, as the Bundesliga newcomers are in a slump at the moment. Thomas Tuchel’s men have been flawless at home, ever since the former Mainz coach took in charge of BVB. Here is the predicted lineup for the black and yellows against Maik Walpurgis’ Ingolstadt.
Goalkeeper: Roman Burki was excellent in the midweek game against SF Lotte, making a host of saves as he carefully preserved his clean sheet. The Swiss goalkeeper is in a great run of form prior to the game on Friday.
Right Back: Lukasz Piszczek is an important part of the Dortmund defence. The experience of the Polish defender proves to be essential in almost every game for Thomas Tuchel’s side.
Center Back(R): Greek centre-back Sokratis Papastathopoulos is expected to get back into the starting lineup after missing a couple of games due to a slight niggle. The former Werder defender is undeniably one of the best defenders in the league. His heroism will be extremely handy against the likes Lezcano and Hinterseer.
Center Back(L): Marc Bartra will start alongside Sokratis in the centre back positions. The former Barcelona man has been in good form in the past few weeks. His long balls are sure to provide some threat for the opposition.
Left Back: Marcel Schmelzer’s free kick against Lotte was one of the plus points for Tuchel last week. The German fullback will use his experience to channel down the left flank and link up with attackers.
Right Wing: Christian Pulisic has arguably been the best Dortmund player in the past seven days. The American wonderkid continues to showcase his exceptional talent for both club and country. He recently became the second youngest scorer in the DFB cup, when he calmly finished the ball past the Lotte goalkeeper in midweek’s fixture.
Central Midfield(R): Due to the absence of Ousmane Dembele, Turkish teenager Emre Mor might get a call up after a long long time. The newcomer has had a mixed season after arriving in the Bundesliga. His individual brilliance would be a key as Dortmund seek to unplug the Ingolstadt defence.
Central Midfield: Gonzalo Castro will have to play as the main man for Dortmund in the middle of the pitch, as Julian Weigl is expected to miss the clash this weekend. Castro has performed well in the second half of the season and his awareness will be crucial for the home side.
Central Midfield: Shinji Kagawa has been exceptional in the past couple of games. His fiery performance against Berlin was followed by an equally impressive outing versus Lotte in midweek. The craft and agility of the Japanese International would be a key for the BVB offence.
Left Wing: Raphael Guerrerio was subbed off in the 70th minute in their last game. The Portuguese new signing has been an influence in terms of attacking creativity in the final third.
Striker: The absence of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang would be a big blow for Thomas Tuchel. Andre Schurrle will replace the Gabonese international. The German world champion scored a goal against Lotte in midweek.
