Emre Can mentioned that Borussia Dortmund will use their Champions League play-off first leg in opposition to Sporting CP on Tuesday to attempt to kickstart their underwhelming season.
Dortmund, who reached final yr’s Champions League last, slipped to eleventh within the Bundesliga on Saturday after a defeat to Stuttgart in Nico Kovac’s first sport in cost.
They’ve received simply considered one of their final six league matches however have fared higher in Europe, ending simply outdoors the highest eight by some extent on the ultimate day of the league section.
And Dortmund shall be assured of taking an early benefit of their conflict with Sporting given their latest report in opposition to sides from Portugal within the Champions League.
Certainly, they’ve a greater win charge in opposition to groups from Portugal (P14 W9 L5 – 64%) than in opposition to sides from every other nation they’ve confronted greater than 10 occasions in European competitors.
“It’s not simple (to show issues round),” Can advised a press convention. “Not every little thing up to now weeks has been unfavorable.
“We all know it’s about profitable, however it’s important to attempt to keep constructive. The unfavorable won’t take you additional.
“The Champions League can be totally different to the Bundesliga. We had a superb run final yr. It’s someplace the place we will be profitable once more.”
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— Borussia Dortmund (@BlackYellow) February 10, 2025
Dortmund’s league struggles have put their participation in Europe’s elite competitors in danger, however Can is assured his group can flip their fortunes round.
“Nobody believed it final season, and we reached the ultimate,” Can mentioned. “I don’t wish to speak concerning the last, however we will strive to achieve success.”
Kovac may also take cost of his first Champions League conflict since taking up at Dortmund.
He’s unbeaten in every of his six Champions League away video games (W4 D2 with Bayern Munich), probably the most matches a supervisor has taken cost of on the highway within the competitors with out struggling defeat.
But when he’s to proceed his spectacular kind within the competitors away from dwelling, he could have to take action with out Ramy Bensebaini, who picked up a muscle harm in opposition to Stuttgart.
“We face a troublesome group,” Kovac mentioned. “To be first in Portugal may be very tough. Meaning the standard may be very excessive.
“This can be a soccer taking part in group. From the again to the entrance. This implies for us we should pay attention to the technical expertise and targeted over 90 minutes.
“That is the primary a part of two video games. We wish to get a superb end result to have a superb alternative to succeed in the following spherical.”
