Top spot in Group F will be at stake on Wednesday night, as Borussia Dortmund host second-placed Paris Saint-Germain at SIGNAL IDUNA PARK on the sixth and final matchday of the Champions League group stage (kick-off 21:00 CET). Coach Edin Terzic is able to welcome back one player to the playing squad. 

“Of course, Champions League evenings are always something special because they’re played late at night under the floodlights. But I try to block that out and treat it like a normal game,” says Nico Schlotterbeck. This is the centre-back’s second season in the Champions League and his 14th game in the competition. The goal against Paris Saint-Germain is clear: “We’ll try to put in a very good performance in our home stadium. In the best-case scenario, we win and go through to the knockout phase as group winners. That’s the challenge we want to conquer.” Even a draw against the French side would see BVB, the current leaders in Group F, secure top spot in the group.

Borussia Dortmund booked their place in the last 16 of the UEFA Champions League with a 3-1 win away to AC Milan a fortnight ago. If the Black & Yellows finish the group stage in first place, they will be drawn against a second-placed team in the next round and will also enjoy home advantage in the second leg. In the event of defeat, PSG would overtake Dortmund due to their better record in the head-to-head. The French champions still have everything to play for and could finish anywhere between first and third place. “They know that they need a win to progress safely to the next round. But they also know that we want to win,” said BVB coach Edin Terzic regarding the finely-poised situation in the group, adding: “The third and fourth-placed teams can still qualify. It’s going to be exciting right to the end.”

Question marks over Sabitzer and Wolf 

The reverse fixture, in Paris in September, ended in a 2-0 defeat for Borussia. BVB then drew at home with AC Milan, beat Newcastle United home and away and then notched up a road win in Milan. PSG were beaten in Newcastle and could only muster a draw at home. They won at home to Milan, but lost the return leg in Italy. “We’ve seen the strength and quality of our opponents. But we’ve also noticed that they’ve had problems defending and closing down spaces, especially in the away games,” said Terzic. Centre-back Schlotterbeck is focusing on the opposition’s attack, centred around star striker Kylian Mbappé: “They have a lot of pace, so we have to defend deep. If we keep a compact shape, it gives us stability and means we hardly concede any goals. Compactness is the key.”

BVB will be without the injured Julian Ryerson, Youssoufa Moukoko and Felix Nmecha on Wednesday evening. Captain Emre Can is also out due to a yellow-card suspension. Thomas Meunier is not eligible to play in the Champions League. There are still question marks over the fitness of Marcel Sabitzer and Marius Wolf. Decisions on whether both will be available for selection will be at the last minute. Striker Sebastien Haller, on the other hand, will make his return to the matchday squad.

Edin Terzic and his players are aiming for nothing less than a win on Wednesday evening: “We’re playing in front of 81,000 fans against PSG in the Champions League. That’s motivation enough to throw everything we have at it.” And hopefully to advance into the round of 16 as group winners.
Christina Reinke

BVB-TV by 1&1: the press conference before the game against PSG