Prediction: Dortmund vs Darmstadt

Verdict: Dortmund (-2.5) AH

 Best odds: 1.95

Bookmaker: ZetBet

Dortmund concludes their Bundesliga campaign with a home fixture against Darmstadt in a contest without a stake for both sides. The match will be played Saturday afternoon at Signal Iduna Park where the local fans will have yet another opportunity to rehearse their songs before travelling to London for the Champions League final.

Dortmund

Despite having a rollercoaster season with ups and downs that at some point jeopardized Dormund’s next-term European football, Edin Terzic’s players recovered greatly at the end of this campaign. Booking their Champions League showdown tickets to London at the expense of PSG left Dortmund in contention to win silverware this term.

Although the Germans were seen as underdogs in front of Ligue 1 giants, Dortmund knocked out the French side following a tight doubleheader in which the Germans won both games without conceding. Edin Terzic’s tactical masterclass will be tested once more on 1st June by perhaps the greatest tactician of all time, Carlo Ancelotti and his record-breaking team, Real Madrid.

Still, Borussia Dortmund failed to impress this term at Signal Iduna Park in domestic competitions recording 9 wins from 16 games. Furthermore, Edin Terzic was left fuming the previous round after witnessing his side’s complete surrender at Mainz (3-0). Despite this setback, the Black and Yellows are expected to line up their best formation and reward their amazing fans with a win against Darmstadt.

Considering Real Madrid’s firepower and midfield dominance, the Croatian manager can work on tactical plays against Darmstadt that could later prove beneficial in the Wembley Stadium showdown.

Team News

Left-back Ramy Bensebaini is out for the remainder of the season with a terrible inner ligament injury. Abdoulaye Kamara and Julien Duranville are the other players Dortmund can’t rely on against Darmstadt.

However, having all important players available to face Darmstadt, Dortmund can line up the formation that will face Real Madrid. Furthermore, Edin Terzic’s priority is to have all his players fit at the end of the game, any injury of a starter could prove to be a major setback against Madrid.

Darmstadt

Promoting last season to the Bundesliga from the runners-up position, Darmstadt has found the intensity of playing on the biggest stage of German club football, a difficult task. Despite engaging in a survival battle as the campaign started, the visitors were relegated at the end of April following a home defeat to Heidenheim.

Although a mid-April win at Koln kept the survival hopes alive, a series of three consecutive defeats in which Darmstad failed to score but conceded 10 goals, sealed permanently their Bundesliga fate. Furthermore, the hosts missed the chance to capitalize on their fans’ support at Merk Stadium, who were left bitter after witnessing a single win in the Bundesliga.

With Darmstadt being already relegated, the visitors lost any desire to fight leaving Wolfsburg (3-0) and Hoffenheim (6-0) to capitalize on this crash by demolishing The Lilies. The same scenario is expected to unfold at Signal Iduna Park where Dortmund will hold the last rehearsal before travelling to London.

Furthermore, conceding 80 goals before travelling to Dortmund, the visitors are on the course to end the season as one of the teams with the weakest defence in modern-day Bundesliga history.

Team News

Centre forward Fraser Hornby is recovering from his terrible ankle injury sustained at the end of November and will not play against Dortmund. Fabian Holand (cruciate ligament tear) and Klaus Gjasula (pelvic contusion) are not expected to recover before travelling to Dortmund.

Torsten Lieberknecht needs to motivate his players to avoid another hammering in the fixture that ends Darmstadt’s Bundesliga journey.

Key factors to consider

• Dortmund cemented their next season Champions League spot by finishing 5th in the Bundesliga
• The hosts will travel to London on 1st June for the biggest game of their campaign, the Champions League final against Real Madrid
• Edin Terzic’s players aim to finish their current Bundesliga journey on a high with another win at Signal Iduna Park Stadium
• Darmstadt is relegated to the second tier of Bundesliga following a disappointing campaign in which the visitors recorded three wins in 33 rounds
• The Lilies’s frail defence, which recorded 80 goals conceded so far, will be submitted to another difficult test against Dortmund’s attacking firepower

Conclusion

In what looks to be the final preparation for the Champions League final against Real Madrid, Dortmund will be in 5th gear at Signal Iduna Park against a relegated Darmstadt. Furthermore, we expect Edin Terzic’s players to bounce back from the Mainz crash and finish their Bundesliga campaign with a comfortable win against the Lilies.

Verdict: Dortmund (-2.5) AH

 Best odds: 1.95

Bookmaker: ZetBet