Borussia Dortmund is struggling in the Bundesliga, currently sitting in 11th place on the table. Their domestic performances resemble those of a club with major financial difficulties, similar to the early era of Jürgen Klopp 16-17 years ago. Since their shocking loss of the title on the final matchday in the spring of 2023, the “Millionaires” have looked powerless in domestic competition, yet they continue to shine in the Champions League. Led by Edin Terzić, they reached the final last year, and with a brilliant performance in the first leg of the playoff for the round of 16, they have made a strong case for another major achievement.Serhou Guirassy is now level with Erling Haaland and Robert Lewandowski for most goals in a UCL campaign for Dortmund (10) 🎯 pic.twitter.com/qg72tqRYAH— B/R Football (@brfootball) February 11, 2025 Dortmund secured a 3-0 (0-0) away victory against Sporting in Lisbon, putting one foot among the best 16 teams in the Champions League, where they will await either Aston Villa or Lille. It seems almost inevitable that Niko Kovač will be the one to pull Borussia back from the edge. The Croatian made his debut three days ago with a loss to Stuttgart, but at José Alvalade, he showed that replacing Nuri Şahin was not in vain. Once again, the fantastic Serhou Guirassy shone. The African striker scored the first goal and assisted the second, reaching a tally of 10 goals in nine Champions League matches, surpassing Robert Lewandowski at the top of the scoring charts.Gross’ scored the second goal for Dortmund. pic.twitter.com/Rc2I66myH4— Dennoh (@CFC_dennoh) February 11, 2025 If anyone still had doubts about whether Serhou Guirassy was just a “one-hit wonder,” they should finally acknowledge the truth—his transfer last June for around 17 million euros might have been one of the best investments a top club has made. The Guinean is scoring across all competitions, and with another stellar performance tonight, he sent a clear message to Niko Kovač: he is the key player in Dortmund’s survival project. Dortmund struggled to break Sporting’s resistance until the 60th minute when Guirassy showcased his impressive aerial ability, outjumping the Portuguese side’s central defenders to head in a cross from Julian Brandt, unlocking Rui Silva’s goal. That was all Dortmund needed to assert their dominance.Since Ruben Amorim’s departure, this is not the same Sporting. They have lost nearly all their Champions League matches and barely scraped into the top 24 by securing a point against Bologna in the final round of the group stage. Unlike Borussia, however, Sporting is thriving in their domestic league, leading the table. They showed they could compete with Dortmund, especially in the first 45 minutes, where they even outplayed their opponents. Uruguayan Maxi Araújo rattled the crossbar with a stunning strike from over 20 meters in the 15th minute, and for a moment, it seemed Dortmund was still reeling. However, they survived the first-half onslaught and then switched into their familiar European mode—one that persists regardless of who is on the bench.Adeyemi scored the third goal for Dortmund. pic.twitter.com/v3bIRveYoL— Dennoh (@CFC_dennoh) February 11, 2025 Sporting’s defense looked far too naïve in the final 30 minutes. They conceded the second goal in a similar fashion—an unchallenged cross landed in the heart of the box for Pascal Gross to easily tap in for 2-0 in the 68th minute. Karim Adeyemi sealed Sporting’s nightmare half with another close-range finish in the 82nd minute, exposing all the defensive gaps left in Amorim’s absence. There will be a celebration in Westfalen in seven days, followed by a push for another quarterfinal appearance with Niko Kovač, against either Aston Villa or Lille.UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE – PLAYOFFSTuesday Brest – PSG 0-3 (0-2)/Vitinha 21(p), Dembele 45,66/Juventus – PSV 2-1 (1-0)/McKennie 34, Mbangula 82 – Perisic 56/Man.City – Real Madrid 2-2 (1-0)/Haaland 19, 80 – Mbappe 60, Diaz 86/Sporting – Dortmund 0-3 (0-0)/Guirassy 60, Gross 68, Adeyemi 82/Wednesday20.45: (3.60) Club Brugge (3.40) Atalanta (2.10)23.00: (7.75) Celtic (4.80) Bayern (1.40)23.00: (2.95) Feyenoord (3.45) Milan (2.35)23.00: (2.35) Monaco (3.45) Benfica (2.95)***odds are subject to change***
