Atlético - Borussia Dortmund, the duel of the boilers | Soccer

Few confrontations can be extrapolated to an environmental battle like a tie between Atlético de Madrid and Borussia Dortmund. The event will be marked by the duel of boilers that will be the Metropolitan, on April 10, and six days later the Westfalenstadion, with the relentless hammering of its legendary yellow wall. The vertical grandstand at the south end, with 25,000 seats, is considered one of the European entertainment stands that brings together the most fervor and decibels.

Dortmund will play with the advantage of playing the second leg at home, a matter that is not trivial given Atlético’s poor performance as a visitor. “We wanted to play the first leg away, but they will be two very difficult games, don’t fool yourself,” said Joachin Watzke, Dortmund’s general director. “They have a great atmosphere in their stadium, but in ours we are going to create a better atmosphere than in theirs,” ventured Carlos Bucero, football director of Atlético de Madrid.

Under that wrapper of two of the most inflamed coliseums in Europe, two teams that have been very irregular in their domestic championships will meet. Both have dropped out of the fight for the league title, they are out of the Cup and the Champions League is now their only option to lift a trophy this year.

If the red and whites are 14 points behind Real Madrid, those of Edin Terzic (41 years old) are 20 behind Leverkusen. The German coach has not been able to overcome the team’s loss in the last Bundesliga, when on the last day they had to beat Mainz at home (2-2). That dramatic draw that marked Bellingham’s last game in Dortmund gave Bayern the title.

The return of Jadon Sancho, on loan in the winter market from Manchester United, has somewhat agitated a team that already had to learn to live without Erling Haaland. Ayedemi injured, first with the tear of the ligaments that join the tibia and fibula and now with muscle problems, Sancho is the great offensive reference of a team that concentrates most of his talent in attack. Julian Brandt, Marco Reus, who is not a regular in the eleven, the Dutch winger Malen and the tank Füllkrup, are his threats. The double pivot is usually occupied by the captain Emre Cam, who has lowered his level, and the dynamic Sabitzer.

It is behind where Dortmund suffers the most. Terzic does not find solidity either with the lanky Schlotterbeck, or with the veterans Hummels and Süle. Their goalkeeper, the Swiss Kobel, essential in eliminating PSV, is right now their best defensive argument.