It’s been ten games in all competitions since the start of 2024, and Borussia Dortmund are finally back with a bang. After a turmoil first part of the season, the Millionaires have lost only one game (against Hoffenheim at home 3-2) and are finally back in the Champions League place, but Leipzig is only one point away, so a defeat against Hoffenheim rose alarm bells immediately. A potential fifth place at the end would definitely be the end of coach Edin Terzić’s rein in Dortmund, so he decided to tighten things up in order to save the job and ahead of the tough schedule.Is there something going on between Nageslmann and Borussia?The warm-cold performances have taken their toll on the whole team too. Germany’s manager Julian Nagelsmann recently announced the squad list for the friendly games against France and Holland, and only one player from Dortmund made it – Niclas Füllkrug. Apart from Borussia’s striker, nobody else was invited to the national team, not even the recent participants like Mats Hummels, Niklas Süle, Nico Schlotterbeck or Julian Brandt. The club’s brass will not react fondly to this, as they complained in the recent past when their players were overlooked by former managers Hansi Flick and Jogi Löw. Right now, not taking their numerous German national players into account would be tantamount to cementing the failure of their squad policy.Meet a third-league team with more Cup semi-finals than BayernSo, the game with PSV Eindhoven is an opportunity for everybody. First, it’s an opportunity for coach Terzić to add more success to his CV in order to keep his job when the assessment comes in June. Second, it’s an opportunity for the club to make an additional 10.6 million euros and pay off Jadon Sancho’s loan from Manchester United (four million). And finally, it’s possible for the above-mentioned players to put some quality performance against PSV and persuade Julian Nagelsmann to call them to the national team. On paper, everything is on their side, from the quality of the team to the home-field advantage and experience. In their previous 19 games on home turf in the competition, they have been beaten on just two occasions. PSV are competing in their first knockout tie in eight seasons, while Dortmund are ‘old warriors’ and is their fifth time in the last six campaigns, and they are making a 12th appearance overall in the Round of 16.UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE1/8 finals – second legTuesdayBayern – Lazio 3-0 (2-0)/Kane 38, 66, Muller 45+2/Bayern win 3-1 on aggregateReal Sociedad – Paris Saint-Germain 1-2 (0-1)/Merino 89 – Mbappe 15, 56/Paris Saint-Germain win 4-1 on aggregateWednesdayReal Madrid – RB Leipzig 1-1 (0-0)/Vinicius 65 – Orban 68/Real Madrid win 2-1 on aggregateMan.City – Copenhagen 3-1 (2-1)/Akanji 5, Alvarez 9, Haaland 45+3 – Elyounoussi 29/Manchester City win 6-2 on aggregateTuesday the 12thBarcelona – Napoli 3-1 (2-1)/Lopez 15, Cancelo 17, Lewandowski 83 – Rrahmani 30/Barcelona win 4-2 on aggregateArsenal – Porto 1-0 (1-0)/Trossard 41/Arsenal win 4-2 on penaltiesWednesday the 13th23:00: (3.05) Atl.Madrid (3.30) Inter (2.55) /first leg 0-1/23:00: (2.15) Dortmund (3.50) PSV (3.30) / first leg 1-1/***odds are subject to change***
