Borussia Dortmund and Paris Saint Germain are on the pitch at Signal Iduna Park in the match that counts as the first leg of the Champions League semi-finals. A déjà vu as this season Edin Terzic’s yellow and black and Luis Enrique’s Parisians have already clashed in the group stage. In the group that saw Milan’s passage to the Europa League and Newcastle’s elimination, the group ended 2-0 for PSG against BVB in France (Mbappé and Hakimi) and 1-1 in Germany (Adeyemi and Zaire-Emery ).
Both teams qualified for the Champions League semi-finals by eliminating Spanish teams in the quarter-finals: Borussia beat Simeone’s Atletico MadridThe PSG took revenge against Xavi’s Barcelona in a match with some controversy.
The yellow and blacks are looking for yet another feat in a tournament in which they went beyond their wildest expectations. hosting Mbappé and his teammates. PSG is one step away from yet another French title and wants to establish itself in the European field too. A challenge that promises entertainment and, of course, great emotions.
Borussia Dortmund is now exclusively focused on the Champions League: this is demonstrated by the recent defeat in Leipzig (4-1) in the Bundesliga in a match that is probably decisive for fourth place. Taking the lead with Sancho in the 20th minute, Terzic’s team was caught and overwhelmed by Leipzig, with Openda, Sesko, Simakan and Baumgartner scoring. So far in the Champions League, Borussia has never disappointed: this is demonstrated by the authority with which they reached the semi-finals, completing an exceptional journey.
Even PSG is now projected more towards the Champions League than the championship. Distracted by the semi-final against Borussia, Luis Enrique’s team played out the decisive match against Le Havre at the Parc des Princes. A victory was needed, a laborious 3-3 arrived which postponed the celebration for yet another Ligue 1 title. After having turned the situation around against Barcelona, the Parisians are now called to confirm themselves against Borussia Dortmund, an opponent they know well and to which they probably took measures.
GettyImages
Edin Terzic and Luis Enrique
The precedents between the two teams
The French team has not lost in 15 consecutive matches between the Champions League and the championship. A positive record, which has a good chance of remaining so, considering the results achieved by Borussia Dortmund at home, which are not the best. Dortmund, among other things, have conceded goals in 6 consecutive matches. Likely to witness at least one goal from each team on this occasion too.
Borussia Dortmund have won just one of six matches against PSG in all competitions, beating them 2-1 in the first leg of the 2019-20 Champions League round of 16, before being eliminated 3-2 on aggregate .
Paris Saint-Germain have never won away against Borussia Dortmund, losing one and drawing two out of three, including a 1-1 draw in the group stage of this Champions League. It is the first time that two teams have met in the group stage and semi-finals in a single edition of the competition since Real Madrid and Borussia Dortmund faced each other in 2012-13.
Borussia Park in Mönchengladbach
Terzic’s statements
The yellow and black coach Terzic he began by analyzing the match: “We weren’t happy with the group match against PSG in Paris. We didn’t have many scoring opportunities, obviously it wasn’t enough. In the second match here things looked completely different.”
“The clear objective is to gain a small lead. But we have to work hard for 180 minutes to realize our big dream,” concluded the BVB coach.
Luis Enrique’s statements
Luis Enrique’s statements: “I believe there will be goals due to the ability both teams have to get to the opponent’s goal.” What would a Champions League final with this team represent? “Since I arrived I have felt the support of the club and the players. We continue to improve, we are at the beginning of a project. We have continued to improve our performance. We have to manage the emotions, the pressure and play a good game. Without feel threatened by this pressure. We arrive at an almost perfect moment of the season.”
In what aspects has the team improved? “In all, there are only two players who cannot play, the others are available. We must not think that we have done everything, but we must think that we still have room to improve. This is why we are a good team. The line that separating victory from defeat at this level is very subtle, I’m sure it will be important to take care of all the details.”
The referee team
The referee of Paris Saint Germain-Borussia Dortmund, Champions League semi-final first leg, is Anthony Taylor. The match director is assisted at VAR by compatriot Stuart Attwell, while the assistants are Gary Beswick and Adam Nunn, fourth official Espen Eskås. Taylor, a year ago at the center of controversy for his direction of the Roma-Seville final, returned from the West Ham-Liverpool match over the weekend.
