Match Preview: Borussia Dortmund vs Real Madrid

Mario Gotze (2nd L) of Borussia Dortmund celebrates with his teammates after scoring his sides second goal as Iker Casillas of Real Madrid sits dejected on the pitch during their UEFA Champions League group D match at Estadio Santiago Bernabeu on November 6, 2012 in Madrid, Spain. (Getty Images)

This is the time of the year when every football fan stays up during the week as he/she wants to be treated to top-quality football. More than the tie on Tuesday night between the champions of Germany and champions elect of Spain, it is the tie between the previous years’ champions that has got me going.

Borussia Dortmund and Real Madrid went against each other in the group of death and the young team from Germany was the dominant force all through. They won the home tie 2-1 and drew 2-2 at the Bernebau in one of the matches of the season. A rematch is the best thing that could happen to the competition. As both teams showed during the quarterfinals, they are capable of making chances and capable of conceding softly too. That is for sure a recipe to an exciting night. With the first leg in Germany, Borussia would like to make most of the home advantage. The propensity to concede goals at the Signal Iduna Park has to be controlled and the return of Mats Hummels will be a big boost.

Both managers are tactically suave and can change the whole system very quickly. With Nuri Sahin ineligible to start against his parent club, the well-oiled combination of Ilkay Gundogan and skipper Sebastian Kehl could be the difference. Madrid’s game too depends on it holding players. Sami Khedira and Xabi Alonso form one of the best central midfield pairings in Europe. And as Sir Alex Ferguson had correctly recognized during the Round of 16, the key to stopping Madrid is containing Alonso.

Jurgen Klopp too would probably look to do the same. But the most interesting aspect though is the creative side of these teams. Mesut Ozil, Cristiano Ronaldo and Angel Di Maria have been brilliant throughout the season, as have Marco Reus, Mario Gotze, and Robert Lewandowski. Also with RaphaelVarane making a name for himself we could see Pepe being pushed up to sit behind Khedira and Alonso so as to nullify the threat of Gotze. Though it may mean sacrificing a striker and altering the team shape, it is a risk Jose Mourinho could take.

The difference in such a high octane game could really come down to bench strength and if it does the odds would tilt radically towards Mourinho’s charges, as Dortmund have no quality substitutions to speak of.

Probable line-ups:

Borussia Dortmund (4-2-3-1): Weindenfeller; Pizchek, Subotic, Hummels, Schmelzer; Gundogan, Kehl; Reus, Gotze, Blaschowski; Lewandowski

Real Madrid (4-2-3-1): Diego; Arbeloa, Varane, Ramos, Coentrao; Alonso, Khedira; Ozil, Di Maria, Ronaldo; Benzema

Players to watch out for:

Reus: The German international is gifted with bags of pace, vision and skill and he puts in a good shift of work every time he plays. Likely to start on the left side he could have a good game against the declining Arbeloa. His assist to set up Lewandowski against Malaga in the previous game was creativity at its best and if he can replicate that, Dortmund might defeat Real, again.

Ronaldo: You cant get around the man. He was brilliant in both legs against Galatasaray, and if continues his rich vein of form, Dortmund might find it very hard to go through.

Prediction: 2-1