Tottenham vs. Borussia Dortmund: Champions League preview

Spurs’ Champions League account opens on Wednesday with a home match against the current leaders of the Bundesliga, Borussia Dortmund.

Dortmund are a perennial powerhouse on Europe’s top stage. They made it to the quarterfinals in 2016-17 before being ousted 6-3 on aggregate to an incredibly explosive Monaco side. During the campaign, Dortmund qualified for the knockout stages by finishing atop Group F with 14 points from six matches. The German juggernauts went unbeaten through the group stage, finishing two points ahead of Real Madrid, the tournament’s eventual winners.

Only three matches in, Dortmund sit atop the Bundesliga table with seven points from three matches. They haven’t lost in 35 home matches but that remarkable stat thankfully doesn’t pertain to Wednesday’s match at Wembley.

A minor blip saw Dortmund drop points to Freiburg in a 0-0 stalemate last time out. Beforehand, they swept aside Herta Berlin and Wolfsburg, 2-0 and 3-0 respectively.

More than most teams in Europe, Dortmund feast on the opposition through unrelenting possession. Wearing teams down by spraying the ball effortlessly about the park, Dortmund are one of the most proficient passing teams, a fact further evinced by their 67 percent average possession stats.

Take those numbers with a pinch of salt, though, as Dortmund have so far played against inferior teams, squads reliant on the counter attack. Dortmund also love to keep opposing keepers busy, attempting 19 shots per game, the second most in Germany. And they attack in a balanced manner, flying down the middle as much as on either wing.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, who is fit for Wednesday, has two of Dortmund’s five league goals. He is the focal point of a consistently dangerous offensive unit.

Revenge is a dish best served cold

Playing Dortmund involuntarily brings suppressed memories to the fore. The two sides met in the 2015-16 Europa League quarterfinals, which Dortmund, winning 5-1 on aggregate, thoroughly dominated.

However, Mauricio Pochettino’s priorities were crystal clear, and they didn’t include aspirations of winning the Europa League.

The gaffer, as Tottenham HQ covered earlier today, rested key members of his first 11, seemingly forsaking the competition for a better chance to chase Leicester down in the race for the Premier League title. Dortmund won’t be so lucky this time around. Dele Alli and Victor Wanyama are the only regulars missing, Alli due to the three-game ban for the Gent incident last season and Wanyama through injury.

Next: Tottenham to face hobbled Dortmund on Wednesday

Dortmund have more pressing injury concerns, as seven regulars are either doubtful or confirmed out for Wednesday’s fixture, including midfielder Julian Weigl, Portugal international Raphaël Guerriero, Marco Reus André Schürrle, Right-back Erik Durm, centre-back Marc Bartra and left-back Marcel Schmelzer.

Dortmund are prime for the picking and there’s no better time, or occasion, for Spurs to begin their Wembley renaissance.