Buildup to the massive clash at Anfield on Thursday
It’s quite possibly the most anticipated European game of the entire season.
The team Jurgen Klopp built practically with his own hands are coming to visit him at his new club, and the tie couldn’t be better poised for an incredible game.
Last week, not many expected Liverpool to get any kind of result at the Waldstadion, it was a game that was a freebie for the Merseyside men, all the pressure was off then and the only hope was that they’d be able to keep the score down.
But instead, after 36 minutes of the game, youngster Divock Origi fired Liverpool ahead, silencing the Dortmund yellow wall. The game eventually finished 1-1, but it was one of the best, and definitely one of the most encouraging, performances we’ve seen from Liverpool under Jurgen Klopp. Especially defensively.
It leaves the game wide open on Thursday. Liverpool have a slight advantage with the away goal, but Dortmund probably won’t be worried about putting the ball in the net, having already scored 96 times this season. They are also unbeaten in this calendar year, having only conceded 34 goals.
Liverpool will be without captain Jordan Henderson after he picked up a serious knee problem in the first leg last Thursday, but Emre Can is not suspended in this competition despite serving a suspension in the Premier League, so is available. Liverpool have also welcomed Lucas Leiva back into the squad after a decent amount of time on the sidelines, while Roberto Firmino should also be fit. Jurgen Klopp has confirmed that there are no fresh injury concerns, so the majority of the squad are fit and ready to go.
For Dortmund, midfielder Ilkay Gundogan is back available again after just missing out on getting into the squad last week, he made his comeback at the weekend in Dortmund’s 2-2 draw with Schalke.
In terms of each club’s domestic league seasons, both sides will not struggle to achieve what they’re hoping for, with Dortmund’s draw with Schalke on Sunday leaving them 5 points adrift of Bayern Munich with 5 games to play, and with Bayern only having lost 2 games all season, you wouldn’t expect them to surrender that sort of lead at the top.
Liverpool, despite having a game in hand, are 9 points off the Champions League places, and may find that their best route into Europe’s elite competition is by winning this competition.
It means that both teams are putting all the eggs they have left this season into this crucial European basket.
There’s plenty of mutual respect between the clubs, with Dortmund providing a very friendly welcome for Liverpool last week in Germany, and their shared use of the song “You’ll Never Walk Alone” has developed the strong bond between the two clubs, and this week there will be a mosaic held up by the visiting supporters in mark of respect to the 96 fans that died at the Hillsborough disaster in 1989 (not something you see with Manchester fans). The Waldstadion was 90% full almost 40 minutes before kick off last week, and Liverpool fans are hoping to replicate the same sort of atmosphere. A parade to welcome the team bus arriving at Anfield has been arranged, and the majority of fans will be inside the ground singing while the players are doing their warm-up.
Liverpool, having the away goal, are the favourites to go through on the night, with Liverpool 11/10 to progress and Dortmund 8/11 (odds from Paddy Power), but in a game like this you’d have to say all betting odds go out of the window.
What you CAN bet on, is that Anfield will be bouncing, the pre-match ritual of YNWA will be empowering and emotional for all the fans inside the ground, and we can expect one incredibly entertaining game, as both sides compete to progress to this year’s Europa League semi-finals.
By Ben Kelly – @benkelly_10
