Borussia Dortmund are looking to brush off their nightmarish Bundesliga form when the Group D leaders protect their perfect UEFA Champions League record at Turkish giants Galatasaray today.
Dortmund coach Jurgen Klopp described his side’s 3-0 win at RSC Anderlecht earlier this month as “perfect,” but things are far from rosy now for Borussia after three straight Bundesliga defeats.
With just a point from their first two European games, Galatasaray are third in the group and face Dortmund with the Germans low on confidence, despite topping the Champions League group.
Photo: Reuters
The 2012-2013 Champions League finalists have plummeted to 14th in the Bundesliga — their worst league start for 27 years.
Klopp admitted to feeling “helpless” in the wake of Saturday’s 2-1 defeat at Cologne, their first defeat in the city for more than a decade, to leave them with just a point from their past five league games.
“We have to correct our mistakes now, not tomorrow or the day after,” Klopp said. “We need to get ourselves out of this rut and no one will do it for us.”
Having beaten Arsenal 2-0 in their opening game, Klopp’s side have yet to concede a goal in the competition and have been boosted by the return to fitness of three key players.
They have Germany midfielders Marco Reus and Ilkay Gundogan, as well as Armenia’s Henrikh Mkhitaryan back after injuries.
Reus managed more shots on goal than the entire Cologne team combined and finishing is a factor for Dortmund in Turkey.
The only good news for Klopp from Cologne is that defender Erik Durm should be fit, despite dropping out during the warm-up on Saturday with a thigh problem.
Galatasaray lost 4-1 at Arsenal three weeks ago and need a result at home against Dortmund to keep their knockout-stage hopes alive.
With Didier Drogba now back at Chelsea, Galatasaray’s top name is Wesley Sneijder and the Dutch midfielder scored two late goals as Cesare Prandelli’s side beat 10-man Fenerbahce 2-1 on Saturday in the Istanbul derby.
“Sneijder is a quality footballer, who showed up well in the last 20 minutes and gave us two very nice goals,” Prandelli said.
OUT AGAINST INDONESIA: Taiwan reached the semi-finals at the tournament for the first time by defeating Denmark, with Chou Tien-chen beating Viktor Axelsen Taiwan yesterday crashed out of the Thomas Cup team competition in Chengdu, China, but achieved their best result at the top-tier badminton event by reaching the semi-finals. Indonesia were too good in the semis, winning 3-0 to advance to today’s final against China, who eliminated Malaysia 3-1. In the opening singles of the men’s team clash at the Hi-Tech Zone Sports Center Gymnasium 2, Anthony Ginting defeated Taiwan’s Chou Tien-chen 21-18, 21-19 in 51 minutes, which put a huge hole in Taiwan’s aspirations to perhaps even make the final. In the men’s doubles, Fajar Alfian and Muhammad Ardianto downed Lee Yang and Wang
Rafael Nadal on Tuesday lost in straight sets to 31st-ranked Jiri Lehecka in the fourth round at the Madrid Open, while Taiwan’s Hsieh Su-wei advanced to the semi-finals in the women’s doubles. Nadal said that he was feeling good about his progress following his latest injury layoff. Nadal called it a “positive week” in every way and said his body held up well. “I was able to play four matches, a couple of tough matches,” Nadal said. “So very positive, winning three matches, playing four matches at the high level of tennis. I enjoyed a lot playing at home. I leave here with
Top-ranked Iga Swiatek on Saturday came through “the most intense and crazy final” she has ever contested to avenge her loss to Aryna Sabalenka in last year’s Madrid Open final with a grueling three hour, 11 minute victory in the Spanish capital. Coming back from 1-3 down in the decider and saving three match points in total, Swiatek claimed a 7-5, 4-6, 7-6 (9/7) victory to secure the Madrid Open trophy for the first time. “Well, who is going to say now that women’s tennis is boring, right?” Swiatek said. Swiatek, who picked up the 20th title of her career, and ninth at
When 42-1 underdog James ‘Buster’ Douglas shocked ‘Iron’ Mike Tyson 34 years ago at the Tokyo Dome, the result reverberated worldwide. Spectators at the 45,000-plus seater venue witnessed one of boxing’s biggest upsets as unbeaten heavyweight champion Tyson was knocked out in the 10th round by the unheralded Douglas in February 1990. Boxing returns to the famous venue on Monday for the first time since that unforgettable encounter when Japan’s undisputed super-bantamweight world champion Naoya ‘Monster’ Inoue puts his belts on the line against Mexican Luis Nery. The 31-year-old Inoue (26-0, 23 KOs) is a huge star in Japan and is just