PREVIEW OF UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE

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Tseyi Agharaye (Abuja)


Dortmund vs Tottenham Hotspur


The second leg of the Uefa Champions league kicks off on Tuesday and Wednesday 5th and 6th of March 2019 as Dortmund will on Tuesday make attempt to recover from a three-goal deficit against Tottenham Hotspur. Dortmund who are going through a dip in form would want to start the match firing from all cylinders at Signal Iduma Park.


With just one win in four games, Tottenham’s form has not been that good. Despite the return of top scorer, Harry Kane, who was sidelined for the first leg, still on the sideline for Tottenham are Dele Ali, Eric Dier and Harry winks.


On the other hand, Dortmund, who are suffering from a lack of form with just one win in seven games would be presented with a perfect opportunity to regain their lost form when Tottenham eventually comes to town. With Dortmund still in the title race after dropping vital points in recent week, while Totteham are trying to keep their top four status after a poor run of form that has seen them lose ground to Man city and Liverpool for the English premier league title, a win for either side would surely lift the mood of the fans at both clubs. Dortmund are still without Poland defender Lukasz Piszczek and Christian Pulisic who recently signed for Chelsea.


Dortmund have a mountain to climb to progress. In Europeans In European cup history, teams have lost 3-0 in the first-leg away and turned it around just seven out of 130 times (5.38%). The Germans have, however, won half of the 16 UEFA ties where they lost the first-leg on the road.


At the mighty mighty Signal Iduna Park, it seems as though nothing is impossible. Dortmund have already won with a scoreline that would secure at least extra-time on four occasions this season with two of them coming in the Champions League (CL), against Monaco and Atletico Madrid.


Tottenham are firmly in the driving seat though, and stand an excellent chance of reaching the CL quarter-finals for only the second time ever. Mauricio Pochettino’s men make their way to Dortmund after winning the first-leg 3-0 – importantly conceding no ‘away’.


Encouragingly for the travelling contingent, the club’s 3-0 loss to the German club in 2016 is the sole blot across Tottenham’s last five visits to Germany (W2, D2, L1). Furthermore, they remain the best away side so far in the Premier League for this season (W11, L4).


They have conceded three goals or more in just one away match this season, and have not yet lost by more than a two-goal margin (in all competitions). Goals could be expected though, as they have conceded in five straight road trips.


Players to watch: Dortmund’s talisman, MVP Marco Reus, is back and has six goals in his last nine competitive matches.


Tottenham’s own ace in the pack, Harry Kane, has three goals in three matches against Dortmund.


Stat Attack


Dortmund have won just one of their last seven matches in the knockout stages of UEFA competitions.


All five Head to Head have featured three goals or more.


Including the reverse fixture, Dortmund are yet to be behind at half-time in this season’s CL – Tottenham have not yet been in the lead.


My Verdict:


Tottenham may have just done the damage in the first leg with a three-nil victory, and it is surely a tough task for Dortmund who must score three unrepelled goals to draw level. Tottenham with Harry Kane’s return might just snick a goal or two and it would make it an impossible task for Dortmund to recover from the deficit they suffered during the first leg. Signal Iduna Park has its magic but I feel this time they might just come short.


Real Madrid vs Ajax Amsterdam


It has been a season full of challenges for the Defending champion. Since Zizu and Ronaldo left last June, Real Madrid has not really hit the expected heights that was set at the beginning of the season. A sacked coach, back to back El Classico defeat, an embarrassing defeat at Camp Nou and also a Super star in Gareth Bale misfiring, it has been a season of ups and down for the Galácticos.


Ajax, on the other hand, are having an excellent season. Qualifying from a group that had Bayern, Benfica and AEK Athens, Ajax are definitely upsetting the odds by being where they are at the moment. They played so well in the first leg that they got pundit applauding their performance only to come short with a 90 minutes goal scored by Marco Asensio.


After a 2-1 first leg success in Amsterdam, Real Madrid are closing in on a ninth straight Champions League (CL) quarter final. The omens are good for Madrid as they have won their last five home matches against Dutch opposition, although the last side to beat them at the Santiago Bernabéu was Ajax in 1995.


Despite this, the pressure is on manager Santiago Solari as his side have lost their previous three home games across all competitions for the first time under his stewardship. They conceded six goals in those three matches, with five of those goals coming in the second half.


Ajax put in a valiant display in the first leg and were unlucky to lose. Yet, they now remain without a win in their last seven CL knockout fixtures (D2, L5). However, since that defeat to Madrid, the visitors have won their previous three matches across all competitions, conceding just one goal and scoring an impressive 13.


Ajax have won just four of their previous 13 matches against Madrid (W4, D1, L8), losing all of the previous seven Head to Head matches, and scoring one goal or less.


Players to watch: Karim Benzema has four goals and two assists in this season’s CL, including a goal against Ajax in the first leg.


Hakim Ziyech’s first goal in this season’s CL came against Madrid in the first leg, although he has had 14 attempts on goal in the competition – the third highest of any player.


Stat attack:


Madrid have averaged nine corners per game in the CL so far.


Madrid have scored nine goals in their previous three matches at home to Ajax, conceding only one.


Ajax have averaged 2.57 yellow cards per game in CL so far.


Nine of Ajax’s last ten competitive games have seen over 2.5 goals, while the same is true in nine of Madrid’s last 11.


My Verdict


Despite Madrid poor form, they always find a way to turn up in the Champions league. Some might say those days are gone but I still believe Madrid just has what it takes to see this one over the line. Ajax are young and vibrant side and can hurt any team on their day but the role of experience cannot be underestimated and Madrid have that in abundant. It has been a very good season for Ajax but with the caliber of players that Madrid will parade in this very encounter, Ajax is unlikely to spring any surprises.


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