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UCL: Free-flowing Dortmund face Atletico litmus test

October 24, 2018

Unbeaten Borussia Dortmund face an Atletico Madrid side who have only been beaten once this season. With both teams on maximum points, a win for either side would put them in pole position for the knockout rounds.

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UEFA Champions League | Borussia Dortmund vs. AS Monaco
Image: Reuters/L. Kügeler

Dortmund preview ahead of Atletico clash

Life is good for Borussia Dortmund. They sit top of the Bundesliga, average almost 3.4 goals per game, and are arguably Europe's most in-form team.

Under Lucien Favre, Dortmund are playing an exciting brand of attacking, full-throttle football, with Paco Alcacer and Jadon Sancho emerging as the unlikely stars of a young, vibrant and, at times, exhilarating, team.

Read more:  Paco Alcacer: The missing piece in the puzzle

But in Atletico Madrid, Dortmund face their sternest challenge of the season. BVB have seen off RB Leipzig, Bayer Leverkusen and Monaco in impressive style this campaign, scoring 11 goals against those three teams alone, but Atletico are a different proposition.

After an uncertain start to the season, Diego Simeone's side have found their feet and are unbeaten in eight games. Dortmund's gung-ho style has brought them success under Favre, but Simeone favors a more measured approach, conceding only twice in their past eight games, and has overseen a steady rise to fifth in La Liga, just two points off leaders Barcelona.

Atletico Madrids - Diego Costa
Diego Costa is in line to return for Atletico having missed two games through injury.Image: Getty Images/AFP/G. Bouys

But that solidity has come at a cost; Atletico have struggled to hit top gear in attack, with Thomas Lemar's integration into the side still a work in progress and Antoine Griezmann finding goals harder to come by than he usually does in an Atletico shirt. That makes the return of Diego Costa from injury a timely one for Simeone, who may be tempted to start the former Chelsea forward at Signal Iduna Park.

Clash of styles

This clash of styles should make for an intriguing contest. Dortmund's star striker, Alcacer, has seven league goals in just 129 minutes of playing time this season and is keen to make an impression against Spanish opposition — but has compared playing against Atletico with dental pain.

"Playing against Atletico is totally like a toothache," Alcacer told Spanish newspaper Marca, having lost six of his nine games against Atletico for either former clubs Getafe or Valencia. He never faced them while with Barcelona.

"They are a team that concede very few goals and they leave few spaces, while they're always very aware of everything. For a striker, it's frustrating.”

Alcacer is carrying a knock but if he's fit, he should be confident of breaking his duck against Atletico as Dortmund look to add credibility to their rise under Favre. Victory over Atletico would certainly do that.

Schalke face tough Turkish test

Domenico Tedesco's Schalke have endured a difficult start to 2018-19
Domenico Tedesco's Schalke have endured a difficult start to 2018-19Image: picture-alliance/dpa/G. Kirchner

Schalke have not enjoyed the start to the domestic season nearly as much as their Ruhr rivals but a last gasp win in Moscow last time out has given them genuine hope in the Champions League.

The Royal Blues have four points from their opening two games and know that an away win against Turkish side Galatasary would put them in a strong position at the half way stage.

Goals have been the main issue for Domenico Tedesco’s men this term, with just seven in their ten combined games in the Bundesliga and Champions League but Tedesco now has a problem at the other end, with keeper Ralf Fährmann set to miss Wednesday’s clash In Istanbul with an adductor problem. Alexander Nübel, who made his debut in the defeat to Werder Bremen on Saturday, is set to deputize.

"Our job is now to regroup and travel to Istanbul fully rejuvenated,” said Tedesco after the 2-0 reverse. “We know it'll be like going into the lion's den, but we will always give our best and try to win every game."