After two draws in a row, Real Madrid need to step up and beat Borussia Dortmund to get the first position of the Champions League group. Los Blancos are a bit depressed after dropping four points in just two games but they are still top of the table in La Liga. Now, Zidane’s side visits a very difficult stadium, where Los Blancos have never won.
Borussia Dortmund v Real Madrid Preview
Zinedine Zidane is suffering the first key moment of the season after these two bad games in La Liga and after the controversial substitution of Cristiano Ronaldo at Las Palmas. The Portuguese star left the pitch very angry but he should start the game in the Signal Iduna Park. Gareth Bale and Karim Benzema are also fit, so the BBC will be the attacking line in Germany.
The French manager has more problems in the other lines. Casemiro is still injured, so Mateo Kovacic or James Rodríguez should replace the Brazilian stopper. Marcelo is missing the game and Fabio Coentrao, who has entered in the list for the first time in the season, has options to appear for the first time in the season. In the goal, both Casilla and Keylor Navas have options.
Borussia Dortmund are in good shape and they’ve won the last four games in a row scoring 20 goals and conceding only two. The side is in the second position in the Bundesliga and they thrashed Legia Varsovia in the first game of the Champions League. Manager Thomas Tuchel has created a great group after Klopp’s departure and the squad is really powerful with Mario Gotze, Andre Schurrle or Raphael Guerreiro.
The history is on the German side. Real Madrid have never won in the Signal Iduna Park. In the quarterfinals in 2014, Los Blancos suffered a defeat (2-0) but they could qualify to the semifinals despite a horrendous game under Ancelotti’s management. The team wasn’t that lucky in 2013, when they lost 4-1 in semifinales with Lewandowski scoring all four goals.
Team Predictions Borussia Dortmund vs Real Madrid
Borussia Dortmund Possible XI: Burki, Schmelzer, Bartra, Sokratis, Pisczek; Pulisic, Weigl, Gotze, Guerreiro, Dembele; Aubameyang.
Real Madrid Possible XI: Navas; Danilo, Ramos, Pepe, Carvajal; Kovacic, Kroos, Modric; Bale, Cristiano and Benzema.
