I can't tell you how excited I am to see my team play in the Champions League. After eight long years of absence we are finally back, and we have every reason to be proud of that. Because we earned it, with very little financial power we signed the right coach and pulled off many great transfers. Dortmund is a real team again. Our team has an immense spirit, they are basically friends with each other and you often can see that on the pitch, when one fights for another. Fans can identify again with a team that gives 100% every match. Borussia Dortmund managed to win the title with honest work, no Sheik, no backing by a huge company or anything else that goes into the direction of financial unfairplay. Now the first game knocks on the door and it's Arsenal, a fixture many people hoped for.Special Atmosphere
Two teams not in form
If Dortmund's season would have started off better nobody would talk about the lack of Nuri Sahin, but with Gündogan we have a great playmaker for the future, not for the presence. Dortmund's creative moment is only provided by Mario Götze at the moment and that is just not enough. Many of Dortmund's players are out of form. Shinji Kagawa, who was injured half a year, is only a shadow of what he usually is: a goal threat with virtue, ideas and the technical abilities to execute them, but at the moment he is lacking a good first touch, ideas and impulsiveness. He couldn't manage to put his mark on a match so far. I expected at least one goal after 5 games but the chances he had against Hamburg went begging and in the other matches he disappeared somewhere in the middle. Kevin Großkreutz is another good example for not being in form. He lacked composure and also disappeared somewhere in the last two games.However, Arsenal can't be at their best with many injured key players plus many new signings who first have to adapt to Arsenal's automatism and style. This is actually a big factor and may Arsenal cost the game. Vermaelen, Wilshere, Ramsey, Rosicky all injured Wenger still has enough options to field a terrific eleven though.
Don't be fooled though, Dortmund's poor start of the season has also to do with international breaks and very deep-sitting opponents. Since Arsenal won't sit deep, so BVB won't look as bad as they did against Hoffenheim or Berlin, because they will get spaces to combine fluently.
But it also doesn't matter so much who plays, but more how both teams play as a unit. Both teams have offensive power, so I think it will come down to the defense behavior, where I see an advantage for Dortmund. Arsenal will face a pressing opponent, who won't be not afraid to run the extra kilometer. If Arsenal lacks discipline in their defense they will be in trouble.
Mental factor
One good advice for Arsenal is to attack right from the beginning. Dortmund might be nervous, because it's the first time these boys hear the Champions League anthem before a match and they have already shown in the previous European encounter that they make unusual mistakes. But there is also a different approach to that topic: greed. Something that Dortmund completely lacked against Hertha Berlin, but maybe their minds where already with this match on Tuesday. All these young players will be extra motivated to enter the big international stage and will make this match even more intense, so bad news for Arsenal.Open Match
Arsene already said that he want to attack, which is good news for Dortmund and neutral spectators (for Arsenal fans, too of course). Dortmund's plays their best football when the opponent attacks, they need spaces for their quick transmissions from defense to offense. Klopp said that his first priority is to "stand compact", but that doesn't mean, that we won't attack. So, I expect an open match with end to end stuff.
Arsenal's offense is good enough to bring even a good defense as ours into trouble, and luckily their defense is shaky enough that we also can create chances. I expect goals. Mertesacker already knows what I'm talking about, he had knots in his legs when he played in Dortmund the last time.
The Szczesny factor
Dortmund is famous for their nonclinical finishing, they especially have the great ability to make goalkeepers look unbeatable. Szczesny is a worldclass goalkeeper, from what I've seen. It may be that he will win the match for Arsenal, as he denies Dortmund. Last years European campaign was pretty good for Dortmund, we dominated all 3 opponents in every match, but failed to take our chances. The reason why we went out so early. It may be Déjà vu for BVB, as they often fail to unleash unstoppable shots.If we want to progress in CL we need to work on that, especially against Marseille and Piräus we won't get many chances.
Lucky No 44
I'm talking about Ivan Perisic, chances are high that he will start instead of Großkreutz. His "luck-bringing" number is 44, but he is not allowed to wear it in the Bundesliga, because of stupid nonsense Germanness.He is wearing the 14 on his back in the domestic campaign, but all his attempts on goal where very unlucky. He hit the post, or goalkeepers denied his shots per inhuman super saves. Football is full of miracles and I would not be surprised if he finds his scoring boots with the 44 on his back again.
Enjoy
As Jürgen Klopp says in a commercial, he advised his players to enjoy the match. He reminded his players, that it's always important to have fun, because they were losing a bit of their lightness in the recent matches. But it's the best advise I have for anyone who will watch this match: Enjoy!
Line Ups
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| Dortmund |
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| Arsenal - I hope I've got that one right |
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