Borussia Dortmund hope to refocus after midweek exhilaration when they host undefeated Bundesliga champions Bayer Leverkusen at Signal Iduna Park on Sunday.
Edin Terzic's side secured passage into the Champions League semi-final for the first time since 2012-13, but they are not assured of participation in next year's competition, and they hope to record a statement result on home turf in gameweek 30.
Match preview
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While Dortmund's Champions League campaign has been commendable, last season's Bundesliga runners-up have struggled for consistency in the league, highlighted by their fifth-place standing heading into the final weeks of the 2023-24 season.
That has put Champions League participation in doubt, even if they could be bailed out by Germany securing one of two extra slots in next year's competition, with this week seeing England lose no fewer than four quarter-finalists in the top-tier club tournament and the Europa League — Manchester City, Arsenal, Liverpool and West Ham United.
Terzic's troops return to North Rhine-Westphalia on Sunday, days after a rip-roaring triumph over Atletico Madrid, keen to inflict Leverkusen's first Bundesliga defeat of the season. However, Der BVB have endured a mixed home record in the top flight this term, losing four of 12 (eight wins) in front of their supporters.
That contrasts with Die Borussen's five-match undefeated run in this season's Champions League campaign, extending to 10 since Ajax inflicted a 3-1 loss on the German side in November 2021.
With two Bundesliga losses in the last three at Signal Iduna Park, Dortmund hope to correct course in the campaign's culmination as they aim to end the champions' unbeaten run.
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Xabi Alonso's troops have incredibly stayed undefeated for 44 matches in 2023-24 after Thursday's 1-1 draw at West Ham United, a sequence now the longest any European side has gone without losing — eclipsing Juventus' 43 from May 2011 to May 2012.
Last weekend's emphatic 5-0 triumph over Werder Bremen not only took them level with the Old Lady's feat but sealed the club's first-ever Bundesliga title, and they hope to avoid resting on their laurels in this outstanding unbeaten campaign.
Die Werkself may have sealed a top-flight triumph, but the job is far from over for a club looking to become the first in the German top division to go an entire campaign without a loss. Having gone 29 matches without losing, that number could extend to 30, bringing Alonso's men closer to their domestic aim of invincibility.
They have reason to be confident of extending their undefeated sequence, having claimed 10 consecutive league victories since being held to a goalless game by Borussia Monchengladbach at the backend of January.
However, Alonso is yet to get the better of Terzic in two Bundesliga meetings — one defeat last season and a draw in the reverse fixture in December — and it remains to be seen if he ends that winless run at the third time of asking.
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Ian Maatsen netted his first Champions League goal in midweek, and the Chelsea loanee should retain his place at left-back.
Terzic is expected to lean on Marcel Sabitzer — who became the first Austrian to contribute three goals in a Champions League game (one goal, two assists) — from the off on Sunday.
Donyell Malen (knee) is touch-and-go for gameweek 30, but Karim Adeyemi (suspension), Ramy Bensebaini (knee) and Sebastien Haller (ankle) are ruled out.
Yacine Adli is missing this weekend's game because of suspension, while Adam Hlozek (ankle) and Borja Iglesias (muscle) are not anticipated to feature.
Having become the first-ever player to score a hat-trick in a Bundesliga championship decider last time out, Florian Wirtz should start on Sunday, keen to help Leverkusen end their winless run at Signal Iduna Park.
Victor Boniface should return to the lineup, replacing Patrik Schick, who played from the off at centre-forward on Thursday.
Borussia Dortmund possible starting lineup:
Kobel; Ryerson, Hummels, Schlotterbeck, Maatsen; Sabitzer, Can; Sancho, Brandt, Bynoe-Gittens; Fullkrug
Bayer Leverkusen possible starting lineup:
Hradecky; Tapsoba, Tah, Kossounou; Frimpong, Andrich, Xhaka, Grimaldo; Hofmann, Wirtz; Boniface
We say: Borussia Dortmund 2-2 Bayer Leverkusen
While many observers favour this Leverkusen side to win at Dortmund, Die Werkself have lost seven of their last eight visits to Signal Iduna Park and have not beaten BVB in three consecutive league meetings.
The Bundesliga champions should avoid defeat in North Rhine-Westphalia, even if it may not be enough to nick maximum points.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Anthony Brown
