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
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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.
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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.
Team News
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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.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Matt Law
