Dortmund, show in front and ... open doors behind

Special envoy to Dortmund,

"In the professional world, you have to be careful not to make the same mistakes twice," says Patrick Guillou. This is exactly what Borussia Dortmund is doing. In any case, "the sites are substantial" before the double confrontation against Paris Saint-Germain, in the knockout stages of the Champions League (first leg this Tuesday, 9 p.m., at the Westfalenstadion, return on March 11 at the Parc des Princes), judges the consultant beIN SPORTS , a fine connoisseur of German football, noting that the Ruhr club lost Marco Reus, its captain, on an injury at the same time last season, and displayed mainly the same weaknesses in the defensive sector. That had led the BVB to take the door in the knockout stages of the Champions League against Tottenham and have to tear themselves away at the end of the season in the Bundesliga in order to finish in the four and to qualify for the C1. Meanwhile, Michael Zorc and his recruiters nevertheless got their hands on the German internationals Mats Hummels (ex-Bayern) and Nico Schulz (ex-Hoffenheim) to stabilize their rearguard, last summer. Thorgan Hazard (ex-M'Gladbach) and Julian Brandt (ex-Leverkusen) had to bring their technical touch. The last named is also forfeited this Tuesday.

Haaland, Borussia Dortmund's goal machine

And this winter, two recruits of choice: Emre Can (ex-Juve) and the Norwegian goal machine Erling Haaland (ex-Salzburg). The latter did not take long to acclimatize: after dazzling Europe with 28 goals in 22 outings under the colors of Salzburg, including eight in five C1 matches, the native of Leeds is already at nine achievements in six appearances in its new colors. An outbreak so rapid that it is reminiscent of Kylian Mbappé, even earlier than the new attacker from Borussia. Haaland is already 19 years old. At 18 spring, the Frenchman already had a world champion title on his record. He had also largely contributed to eliminating… Dortmund in the Champions League, with Monaco. "He's a boy who always wants to move on. In training, if he misses an opportunity he tears his hair out, ”says his foal Lucien Favre. Thomas Tuchel could say the same of his…

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With the English nugget Jadon Sancho (19 years old), Haaland will in any case be the main danger for PSG. The spearhead of an attack that turned into a super, the best in the Bundesliga (63 goals). “Dortmund is very strong in transition, a lot of speed and quality, analyzes Thomas Tuchel. The stats of offensive players are huge. So you have to be smart and avoid blocking before they happen. This is the big challenge. "

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Since the beginning of the year, it has been even better statistically for Dortmund: 24 goals in all competitions in six matches (4 wins, 2 losses). But 11 cashed ... And there, it is less brilliant. Dortmund is Germany's ninth defense (32 goals conceded). "Afraid of the Dortmund attack?" No, I'm not afraid, but above all a lot of respect, "notes Parisian captain Thiago Silva, referring to the" phenomena "that make up the offensive sector of the BVB. And to continue, about Haaland: “He scores a lot of goals. It's incredible, it's huge. That is why we must be attentive. I hope he will not score against us, and that he will then score in the championship (smile). For us, it's wonderful to play against players like that. He has just started his career with a good frame of mind, he is very motivated, but PSG will be motivated too (smile). "

"In a club like Dortmund, we cannot arrive in February and still look for a defense, to grope in this sector"

Obviously, we do not discover that the Borussia, winner in C1 in 1997 and unhappy finalist in 2013, is carried forward. It's cultural. “The Germans love attacking football, but Dortmund, for 10-15 years, with Mathias Sämmer when I was there, and since then, with Jürgen Klopp for example, there has always been this search for a forward play posed, a technical game ”, notes Guillaume Warmuz, who went through Dortmund between 2004 and 2006.

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Except that you also have to know how to defend well. “Last year there were also defensive issues, but often linked to individual mistakes. A package in the final sprint ... And today, they have not resolved these concerns, Guillou analysis. The defeat at Leverkusen (4-3) is quite significant. Except that there, it is not necessarily that individual errors. There are also strategic mistakes of players on the field. (…) In a club like Dortmund, you cannot arrive in February and still look for a defense, grope in this sector. ” Moreover, Lucien Favre still hesitates between a defense of four or five. And Patrick Guillou concludes: "Compared to the forces at hand, the collective and the collective experience, I think that PSG is ahead of this double confrontation." The 3,300 Parisian supporters expected at the Westfalenstadion - including 1,000 Ultras - will hope that he is right.

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