After a pair of wild opening fixtures, the UEFA Champions League is back in action this week with the second legs of both semifinals.
Four teams continue the long journey, all of them focused on working their way towards May’s final at London’s Wembley Stadium.
Sportsnet’s Gerry Dobson and the crew of Sportsnet 590 the FAN’s European Weekly Football podcast (Gordon Brunt and Dan Riccio) offer their picks, predictions and analysis of Tuesday’s semifinal in Spain between Real Madrid and Borussia Dortmund.
And just a reminder that the European Football Weekly podcast takes an in-depth look at the beautiful game. For more details and to listen to past shows, CLICK HERE. To listen to European Football Weekly on iTunes, CLICK HERE and follow European Football Weekly on Twitter.
Tuesday programming alert: Watch Real Madrid vs. Borussia Dortmund in the second leg of the UEFA Champions League semifinals on all four Sportsnet channels. Live coverage begins at 2:30 pm ET/11:30 am PT. You can also watch the game live on Sportsnet World Online
Wednesday programming alert: Watch Barcelona vs. Bayern Munich in the second leg of the UEFA Champions League semifinals on all four Sportsnet channels. Live coverage begins at 2:30 pm ET/11:30 am PT. You can also watch the game live on Sportsnet World Online
Gerry Dobson: To say this tie is over would be a big mistake. Yes, Borussia Dortmund is in the driver’s seat, and yes a Real Madrid comeback is doubtful. But it is possible.
Borussia Dortmund is a team that might be distracted over the upcoming move of young star Mario Gotze to rivals Bayern Munich. Or they might be upset over all the talk surrounding potential off-season moves of some of their other players. Perhaps they’re just angry over the fact that Bayern Munich trumps everything in Germany and they’re sick and tired of it.
Whatever the reasons, they rolled over Real Madrid in the first leg as though they were on a mission. They have so much firepower and with Robert Lewandowski carrying the load, their goal scoring exploits are impossible to deny. Manager Jurgen Klopp made wholesale changes to his lineup in the team’s weekend win in the Bundesliga, which has inched them closer to nailing down a spot in next season’s Champions League. So they are ready.
But Real Madrid can score goals, as well. Karim Benzema, Mesut Ozil and of course Cristiano Ronaldo are as lethal as anyone. The problem is, they haven’t been lately. The key ingredient is Ronaldo. He missed the weekend derby victory over Atletico Madrid with an unspecified muscular problem. If that continues to be a problem, then Madrid has big problems.
It sounds like a cliche, and I guess it is, but it’s also a fact that the first goal in this one is key. The home side must score first, and prevent the visitors from scoring at all – a tough proposition. If it doesn’t happen that way, then Borussia Dortmund are off to Wembley. I think that will be the case. I just don’t know how Real Madrid can stop the Germans from scoring at least one. And keep in mind Borussia Dortmund are unbeaten in the competition this year.
Prediction: A 2-2 draw; Borussia Dortmund advances.
Dan Riccio: Pundits have continuously doubted Dortmund, and each time they proved their doubters wrong. Last week’s 4-1 victory at home was no different, and it showed why Jurgen Klopp is considered among the best managers in the world.
Mourinho tried, and in some areas was forced to make changes to his squad in the first leg of this semifinal tie. With Alvaro Arbeloa suspended, Sergio Ramos fill in at the right back position, which left Pepe and Raphael Varane to central duties. Mario Gotze and Marco Reus overloaded the middle, recognizing the stress it put on Madrid’s back four.
In the offensive third, Mesut Ozil was moved out to the right wing and Luka Modric into the middle. Ozil didn’t offer much tracking back or offensively, as he has shown to be much more effective when being allowed to roam free in the middle of the park. Mourinho has rarely been outclassed from a managerial perspective, but Klopp has done so all year long.
We have had three opportunities to see that this Dortmund team matches up well against Real Madrid this season, and it has left no reason for me to believe that Mourinho has figured out the answer to beating Dortmund. Adding to Madrid’s woes, Cristiano Ronaldo is dealing with a muscle injury that will either keep him out, or at the very least leave him at less than 100 per cent
Prediction: A 2-2 draw; Borussia Dortmund advances.
Gordon Brunt: Four goals from Borussia Dortmund’s top striker Robert Lewandowski has the defending Bundesliga champions sitting comfortably with a 4-1 advantage as they travel to the Santiago Bernabeu. Scoring an away goal before halftime in the first leg is the only positive aspect Real Madrid could take from the first game.
And even though Dortmund performed well against Madrid in the group stage, the Spanish giants have the weapons to fight back and make the second leg entertaining. Cristiano Ronaldo will be relied on heavily to ignite the Madrid attack, and use his talent to penetrate the defence and open up room for his teammates.
Dortmund enters the match with ambitions of advancing to their second European final and the confidence of two wins against Madrid in three matches this year. They tied Los Blancos 2-2 at the Bernabeu in the fall, courtesy of a late Madrid equalizer.
Lewandowski deserves a lot of credit for the first leg victory, but the away match will require a defensively composed performance from the entire team and should see them secure a ticket to London for the final.
Prediction: Real Madrid wins 3-1; Borussia Dortmund advances.
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