BERLIN (Reuters) – Borussia Dortmund are bracing for their two most important matches of the season with Saturday’s game at RB Leipzig in the Bundesliga followed by their Champions League semi-final first leg at home to Paris St Germain on Wednesday.
With the league title already wrapped up by runaway leaders Bayer Leverkusen, attention has shifted to the battle to qualify for the European competitions next season.
Dortmund’s unexpected success in Europe has thrilled fans but the team’s future in the continent’s top club competition beyond this term could rest a lot on the result against Leipzig.
Dortmund are in fifth place on 57 points with Leipzig fourth on 59 and four games left in the campaign.
The top four teams qualify for the Champions League group stage, although Germany is likely to earn a fifth spot as one of the top two in UEFA’s coefficient table depending on the remaining results in European competition this season.
A Dortmund defeat against Leipzig would see them drift five points behind their rivals with three games remaining.
Failure to qualify for the Champions League would be a massive blow for Edin Terzic’s team, especially after a season where Dortmund are enjoying a deep run in the competition.
“It is a very important, decisive game against Leipzig,” said Dortmund defender Nico Schlotterbeck. “They are our direct rivals and it is a big difference for us finishing fourth or fifth.
“We lost against them earlier in the season and now we want to win this. It is the fight for fourth place.”
Dortmund conceded a last-gasp equaliser in last week’s 1-1 draw against Leverkusen but have won five of their last seven league games, including a 2-0 victory over Bayern Munich.
“It is extremely important for us to keep trying with 100% to get that fourth place,” said Dortmund goalkeeper Gregor Kobel. “We cannot sit back and relax until we have achieved that. We must maintain focus and step on the gas.”
Second-placed Bayern, who host Real Madrid in their Champions League semi-final on Tuesday, entertain Eintracht Frankfurt, who are looking to hold onto the Europa Conference League qualifying spot.
With coach Thomas Tuchel set to leave at the end of the season, Bayern are searching for his successor which they hope to announce before the end of the season.
The Bavarians have 66 points, with third-placed VfB Stuttgart three points behind as they prepare to visit champions Leverkusen in Saturday’s late game.
(Reporting by Karolos Grohmann; Editing by Ken Ferris)
Source Agencies
