Prediction: Borussia Dortmund vs Atletico Madrid

Verdict: Draw

Best odds: 13/5

Bookmaker: BetUS

Borussia Dortmund and Atletico Madrid are set to clash in the second leg of their Champions League quarter-final on Tuesday night, vying for a spot in the semi-finals.

Atletico hold a slender advantage after securing a 2-1 victory in the first leg at Wanda Metropolitano, setting the stage for an intriguing battle at Signal Iduna Park.

Borussia Dortmund

In the first half of their quarterfinal clash with Atletico, Borussia Dortmund found themselves largely outplayed, conceding goals to Rodrigo De Paul and Samuel Lino, which put the Spanish team two goals ahead. At halftime, Dortmund’s prospects seemed bleak, but they showed significant improvement in the second period.

Sebastien Haller pulled one back for the home side in the 81st minute at the Wanda Metropolitano, leaving the tie delicately poised with Dortmund now having the advantage of playing at home.

Edin Terzic’s team heads into the match following a 2-1 victory over Borussia Monchengladbach in the Bundesliga, positioning them fifth in the table, level on points with fourth-placed RB Leipzig.

Dortmund progressed past PSV Eindhoven in the last-16 stage of this season’s competition, securing a 3-1 aggregate victory. They also impressed in the group stage, finishing ahead of Paris Saint-Germain to top Group F, with AC Milan dropping into the Europa League.

Despite their strong performance this season, Dortmund have not advanced past the quarterfinals of the Champions League since their memorable run to the final in 2012/13, where they were defeated by Bundesliga rivals Bayern Munich. Last season, they were eliminated in the round of 16 by Chelsea.

Team News

Against Gladbach last Saturday, Dortmund were without Jadon Sancho due to illness, but the on-loan Manchester United attacker is expected to make a return to the side on Tuesday night.

Haller sustained a knock in the team’s last match and was substituted early, raising doubts about his availability for Tuesday. Additionally, Ramy Bensebaini is sidelined due to a knee problem.

Freshly returned Donyell Malen could be introduced into the starting lineup for this match, while Julian Brandt, who came on as a substitute in the first leg against Atletico, is vying for a spot in midfield.

Niclas Fullkrug, with 13 goals, is second only to Malen in terms of goals scored for BVB this season. The 31-year-old is expected to lead the line against Atletico on Tuesday night.

Atletico Madrid

Atletico Madrid may feel they missed out on capitalizing fully on their dominance in the first leg and await to see if they’ll face consequences in the second leg.

Diego Simeone’s team has displayed a resilient response since their 3-0 defeat to Barcelona prior to the international break, securing victories in their last two league matches against Villarreal and Girona, in addition to their win over Dortmund.

Their latest triumph was a 3-1 victory against Girona in La Liga on Saturday, positioning them fourth in the table with a five-point lead over fifth-placed Athletic Bilbao, giving them control over their fate regarding the race for the top four spots.

Impressively, Atletico conquered Inter Milan in the last-16 stage of this season’s competition, prevailing in a penalty shootout after the two legs ended with the teams evenly matched.

During the group stage, the Rojiblancos remained undefeated, accumulating 14 points from six matches to top their group, which included Lazio, Feyenoord, and Celtic.

On the other hand, Atletico failed to advance beyond the group stage in last season’s Champions League. Moreover, their progression beyond the final eight hasn’t occurred since their semifinal encounter against Real Madrid back in 2016/17.

Team News

For Atletico, Memphis Depay will be sidelined with a muscular issue, while Thomas Lemar and Marcos Paulo are also unavailable for selection. However, Mario Hermoso made his return against Girona on Saturday.

Saul Niguez’s availability will be determined by a late fitness test, as he was substituted in the latter stages of the first half against Girona in La Liga.

Pablo Barrios will rejoin the squad after serving a suspension on Saturday. Additionally, Jose Gimenez, Cesar Azpilicueta, Marcos Llorente, Axel Witsel, Lino, and Alvaro Morata are expected to return to the lineup after being rested for the league match.

It’s likely that Simeone will opt for the same lineup that started the first leg against Dortmund, with Antoine Griezmann once again featuring in the attacking third.

Conclusion

The head-to-head record between these two teams reflects a balanced rivalry, with each side securing three wins from their seven encounters, along with one draw.

While it wouldn’t be unexpected for Dortmund to stage a comeback on Tuesday, there’s a certain resilience about Atletico at this stage of the competition. Therefore, a draw at the Signal Iduna Park, which would see the La Liga side advance to the semifinals, seems likely.

Verdict: Draw

Best odds: 13/5

Bookmaker: BetUS