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Borussia Dortmund’s hopes of progressing to the second round of the UEFA Champions League face a litmus test when they host Napoli at the Westfalenstadion this morning. Join us for live scores and commentary from 6.45am AEDT.
November has proven to be a difficult month for Jurgen Klopp’s charges.
A 6-1 demolition of VfB Stuttgart on November 1 had been their seventh win in eight matches in all competitions, but since then they’ve slipped to Arsenal (1-0), VfL Wolfsburg (2-1) and a humiliating 3-0 loss at home to Bayern Munich on Saturday.
With two matches remaining in the group phase of the Champions League, they sit precariously in third spot and will be eliminated should they lose tonight and Arsenal do not.
Their defense has failed to keep a clean sheet in their past six matches and things won’t be any easier tonight, with first-choice central defensive pairing Mats Hummels and Neven Subotic both long-term absentees.
Additionally, Marcel Schmelzer and screening midfielder Ilkay Gundogan are also out, although Lukasz Piszczek may return after appearing in Saturday’s Der Klassiker as a substitute and club stalwart Sebastian Kehl co
Thankfully for the home side their opponents haven’t fared much better in recent times.
On Saturday the Partenopei meekly succumbed 1-0 at the Stadio San Paolo to Parma, having been well beaten 3-0 in their previous league outing at Juventus a fortnight earlier.
Manager Rafa Benitez has his own injury headaches with key midfidler Marek Hamsik limping off during the loss to Parma, and Juan Zuniga and Giandomenico Mesto also did not travel to Germany with the squad.
When these two sides met on the opening night of the group phase last year’s finalists Dortmund imploded, both on and off the pitch.
Goals from Gonzalo Higuain and Lorenzo Insigne were enough to give Napoli a 2-1 victory, in a match that saw goalkeeper Roman Wiedenfeller red carded and Klopp banished to the stands after an extraordinary outburst in the wake of Higuain’s goal.
Saturday’s loss to Bayern may not have entirely extinguished Dortmund’s hopes of wresting the domestic crown back from the Bavarian giants but even the most optimistic supporter would have to admit that their chances are slim.
Put simply, it makes tonight’s match absolutely crucial. Anything but a win could have long-term implications for both Klopp and his team.
Watch the Champions League highlights of Borussia Dortmund vs Napoli: