LILLE:
Borussia Dortmund could also be counting on continued progress within the Champions League to maintain their season alive, however they head to France for the return leg of their last-16 tie towards Lille with work to do after a 1-1 draw final week.
Karim Adeyemi’s first-half aim had given Dortmund the lead at residence within the first leg, just for Hakon Haraldsson to fireplace within the equaliser which maybe offers Lille the sting because the groups meet once more on the Stade Pierre-Mauroy.
Dortmund are enduring a poor home marketing campaign and a 1-0 residence defeat towards Augsburg on the weekend left them languishing in tenth place within the Bundesliga, seven factors adrift of the highest 4 and 4 factors away from any European qualifying spot for subsequent season.
There had been encouraging indicators after Niko Kovac was appointed on the finish of January to interchange the sacked Nuri Sahin, with the brand new coach main Dortmund previous Portuguese champions Sporting within the play-off spherical.
However they’ve misplaced three of their final 5 matches within the Bundesliga, and the Augsburg setback was hardly excellent preparation for the go to to northern France.
Lille have already overwhelmed Actual Madrid at residence and put six targets previous Feyenoord there as they exceeded expectations within the league part.
The Ligue 1 facet are actually dreaming of reaching the quarter-finals of Europe’s elite membership competitors for the primary time.
Discovering positivesFor Dortmund, in the meantime, an exit at this stage can be an enormous backwards step after final yr’s run to the ultimate, which they misplaced to Madrid at Wembley.
“I do not wish to paint a bleak image due to this match,” Kovac mentioned instantly following the loss to Augsburg.
“We performed nicely within the earlier two Bundesliga video games and within the first half towards Lille, so that offers me hope.
Lille have misplaced simply twice in 20 video games in entrance of their very own followers this season, though that doesn’t embrace a French Cup loss on penalties to second-tier Dunkerque.
This tie might additionally go all the best way to penalties if there is no such thing as a winner on the finish of 90 minutes or additional time — Lille had been additionally knocked out of the Europa Convention League on penalties final season by Aston Villa within the quarter-finals.
Lille’s earlier two appearances at this stage of the Champions League resulted in elimination, towards Manchester United in 2007 and Chelsea in 2022.
Whoever emerges victorious on Wednesday will advance to a quarter-final towards both Barcelona or Benfica.