Borussia Dortmund is gearing up with encouraging news on player availability ahead of their UEFA Champions League encounter with Manchester City this Wednesday evening.
This matchday four clash will take place at the Etihad Stadium, pitting Manchester City against Niko Kovac’s Borussia Dortmund.
Dortmund arrives in excellent form, remaining unbeaten in their last four matches. Their only blip in that span occurred in the DFB Pokal against Eintracht Frankfurt, where they drew 1-1 before prevailing on penalties.
The German team has started the season impressively, securing victories in all but three of their matches across all competitions—drawing three times and suffering just one defeat, a narrow 2-1 loss to Vincent Kompany’s Bayern Munich during Der Klassiker at the Allianz Arena on October 18.
<pCurrently, Dortmund sits third in the Bundesliga with 20 points, boasting a formidable attacking record of 15 goals scored while conceding only six. They have achieved six clean sheets in their first nine matches, tied with league leaders Bayern Munich, indicating they will present a significant challenge for Pep Guardiola's City on Wednesday.
Dortmund’s defense could be further strengthened as central defender Nico Schlotterbeck appears likely to be fit for the midweek clash, having missed the recent Bundesliga win over Augsburg.
According to reports by Bild and relayed by Get Football News Germany, Schlotterbeck trained individually on Monday and is expected to be part of the traveling squad to Manchester.
Kovac is hopeful about Schlotterbeck’s return, with plans for him to participate in a final training session on Tuesday. The coach appears confident that he will be ready for the match against the reigning UEFA Champions League champions.
Alongside Schlotterbeck, Dortmund might also welcome back Niklas Sule, who is expected to travel with the squad to England despite missing the Augsburg match due to a toe injury.
This matchup was always anticipated to be challenging for Manchester City, but the potential return of these key defenders enhances the difficulty for Guardiola’s side.
City is enjoying strong form leading into Wednesday’s fixture, while Guardiola and his team must keep an eye on the monumental Premier League showdown against Liverpool on Sunday. Liverpool has recently found their stride with impressive home victories over Aston Villa and Real Madrid.
Guardiola may opt to adjust his starting lineup for the Dortmund match, and the selection will reflect the team’s focus on the upcoming game against Liverpool, as they continue to apply pressure in the title race against league leaders Arsenal.