Real Madrid vs Borussia Dortmund Preview

December 5, 2017
By: Milos Markovic

Reigning European champions Real Madrid will have little to play for except for their pride when they lock horns with under-pressure Bundesliga out-of-form side Borussia Dortmund.

Germans, on the other hand have a chance to punch the ticket into the Europa League last 32 which comes as little consolation for an utterly disappointing European campaign thus far.

Twelve-time defending European champions Real Madrid have not exactly been in their usual form over the past couple of months.

Zinedine Zidane’s men sit eight points adrift of leaders Barcelona following the Saturday’s goalless draw at Athletic Bilbao and head into the midweek Champions League challenge keen to restore some of the lost self-confidence.

The 3-1 Champions League defeat at the hands of Tottenham left reigning European champions in second place in Group H and they are most likely to go through as second in Group H which in its own right is a bit of an disappointment for the Los Blancos fans.

Real Madrid’s struggles are hard to explain and define. They are a far cry from the team that lifted the trophy in Cardiff just last year although the squad is pretty much the same one.

Cristiano Ronaldo is not, however, but only in La Liga. With only two goals domestically this season, the Portuguese himself is going through a dry spell although his eight goals in the Champions League would suggest otherwise.

Real Madrid can be found at 1.48 (10/21) to beat Borussia.

Welsh star Gareth Bale is unavailable through injury, as well as Marco Asensio but Zidane will have no other major selection issues.

Probable starting line-ups (4-4-2): Navas – Carvajal, Ramos (c), Varane, Marcelo – Kroos, Casemiro, Modric – Isco – Ronaldo, Benzema

The Champions League finalists from 2012/13 season continue the search for their first win in Europe’s elite competition this season.

Three defeats and a pair of draws is all Peter Bosz’s men have to boast with this term as a team which conceded ten and scored only five goals in as many matches thus far.

Having lost three on the trot – with that 2-1 defeat at the hands of Tottenham last time out included – Borussia Dortmund notched back-to-back draws in the league which only increased frustrations ahead of the forthcoming transfer window.

Pierre-Emerick Aumabeyang is the one to watch at Borussia Dortmund once again. The highly sought-after striker is expected to return to the fold against the team of his dreams – Real Madrid – but it remains to be seen if his suspension will have affected his concentration and composure.

The Gabon international has been pushed out of the first-team for the Bayer Leverkusen clash for – to him – unknown reason and it would come as a huge surprise to see him add value the 2.70 (17/10) betting odds on him to score anytime vs Los Blancos.

Dortmund have plenty of injury problems with Philipp (knee), Castro (ankle), Reus (light training), Gotze (ankle ligaments), Piszczek (knee), Durm (hip), Rode (pelvis), Isak (knee) all unavailable for selection.

Probable starting line-ups (4-3-3): Burki – Bartra, Sokratis, Toprak, Schmelzer (c) – Kagawa, Sahin, Guerreiro – Yarmolenko, Aubameyang, Pulisic.

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