Caught cold domestically, Dortmund seek Benfica remedy
Tuchel hopes to have top players fit as club aim to be at their best
Borussia Dortmund coach Thomas Tuchel hopes the return of the Champions League will provide the jolt his inconsistent side need ahead of today’s visit to Benfica in the first leg of their last-16 tie.
The Germans tormented opposing defences and finished above European champions Real Madrid in Group F after setting a new group-stage goals record, but they have failed to reproduce their best form domestically. Dortmund, who won their lone Champions League title in 1997, fell an alarming 15 points behind Bundesliga leaders Bayern Munich following Saturday’s shock 2-1 loss at bottom side Darmstadt.
“I never got the feeling we really got going,” Tuchel said after Dortmund saw their ninematch unbeaten run snapped, albeit a series that included just three victories. “We were simply a long way below our limit and we have to admit they [Darmstadt] deserved to win.”
Dortmund fielded three teenagers at Darmstadt, with 18-year-old Dzenis Burnic making his German league debut in the absence of injured defensive duo Marcel Schmelzer and Lukasz Piszczek.
But Tuchel predicted today’s clash in Lisbon would elicit a strong response from his players, with Ousmane Dembele, Andre Schuerrle and Shinji Kagawa all in contention to return to the starting line-up after coming off the bench at the weekend. Mario Goetze is not fit, however.
“In all honesty, we come into our own when it’s a 5050 game,” said Tuchel, his thoughts echoed by goalkeeper Roman Buerki. “On Tuesday, we play against a different opponent with a different way of playing,” the Swiss added.
Greece striker Kostas Mitroglou scored twice as Benfica eased past Arouca 3-0 on Friday to remain one point clear of Porto at the top of the Portuguese league. Today’s fixture at the Estadio da Luz will be the first meeting between Benfica and Dortmund since the first round of the 1963/64 European Cup, a tie the German club won 6-2 on aggregate.
Benfica, European champions in 1961 and 1962, advanced with the fewest points (eight) of any team to this season’s knockout phase.