EURO ROUND UP Borussia Dortmund out to redeem season
Borussia Dortmund will look to redeem a disappointing Bundesliga season with victory over fellow Champions League contenders Bayer Leverkusen today.
The Ruhr valley club were pre-season title contenders and six wins in their first seven Bundesliga matches had reinforced that view.
Yet it went quickly downhill for Dortmund with Dutch coach Peter Bosz departing after only a few months in charge and Peter Stoeger taking over.
The Austrian enjoyed a good start this year but last week’s derby defeat to Schalke 04 meant their rivals stayed in second place on 55 points, as Dortmund slipped to fourth on 51 with four games left in the season.
The result, coupled with their disappointing Europa League exit to Salzburg last month, mean Dortmund are unlikely to extend Stoeger’s contract, according to German media reports.
Dortmund, who will be without injured striker Michy Batshuayi, will face a Leverkusen side wounded by their 6-2 demolition at the hands of Bayern Munich in their midweek German Cup semifinal.
Leverkusen are hungry for success and in third place with a slightly better goal difference than Dortmund.
Should Dortmund lose then waiting in the wings for a shot at a top-four finish and a Champions League group stage spot next season are RB Leipzig, in fifth on 47. They host sixth-placed Hoffenheim (46 points) today.