Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp knows all about Borussia Dortmund but that doesn’t mean his side will be able to stop the rampant Germans and I am with Thursday’s hosts in the quarter-final first leg encounter.
The clear Europa League favourites entertain Premier League opposition for the second round in a row, having dispatched Tottenham Hotspur with ease in the last 16, and more of the same is expected from a team that possess an abundance of quality.
Still chasing Bayern Munich with real menace at the top of the Bundesliga standings, Dortumnd have thrived this term since former boss Klopp left for Anfield and it is their home form, in particular, that catches the eye.
The 3-0 thrashing of Spurs was one of 19 victories in 22 matches at the Westfalenstadion in all competitions and Dortmund certainly wouldn’t look out of place in the latter stages of the Champions League.
In Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Klopp’s replacement on the Borussia bench, Thomas Tuchel, has one of Europe’s finest strikers to lead the line but Dortmund certainly aren’t a one-man team and Liverpool will be all too wary of their overall attacking prowess.
The selection have outscored the brilliant Bavarians domestically to date and eight goals have already been plundered in the Europa League knockout stages too.
The Klopp factor is certainly one to consider ahead of this eagerly anticipated clash but his presence is also holding the Dortmund price up and I rate them no bigger than 1/2 shots to establish a first leg lead.
Liverpool are languishing in ninth place in the English top flight and have struggled on the road in this competition this season, scoring just three times in five matches.
The Reds are a grade or two below their hosts, widely inconsistent in levels of performance and face the huge task of trying to quieten Borussia’s boisterous backing.
4pts Back Borussia Dortmund (vs. Liverpool) @ 1.63 (various)
