Friday, 20 September 2013

Nurnberg-Borussia Dortmund Preview: BVB aim to bounce back from Champions League disappointment


Borussia Dortmund will aim to bounce back from a midweek defeat by extending their record-breaking start in the Bundesliga at Nurnberg.
Jurgen Klopp's side suffered a 2-1 Champions League loss at Napoli on Wednesday and they will be keen to return to Germany where they have looked dominant in the early stages of the season.
Dortmund have won all five of their league matches so far - a club record to start a season - and they visit struggling Nurnberg on Saturday as strong favourites.
They scored four goals in just 16 second-half minutes against Hamburg in their last Bundesliga match, taking the game from 2-2 to a 6-2 hammering.
They travel to face a side who sit 16th in the table and are yet to win this season.
Dortmund, who have beaten Nurnberg in seven of their last eight league meetings, have scored more goals than any other team in the opening five matches of the Bundesliga season, averaging three goals per game.
New signing Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has been responsible for five of those, while Polish forward Robert Lewandowski has added four.
Despite being sent off in Napoli, first-choice goalkeeper Roman Weidenfeller is likely to play, although central defenders Mats Hummels and Neven Subotic are doubtful.
Hummels was substituted with a back injury in Italy, while Subotic was treated for a head problem.
Club captain Sebastian Kehl (foot), Ilkay Gundogan (back) and Lukasz Piszczek (hip) are all long-term absentees for Dortmund.
Timo Gebhart, Markus Feulner and Markus Mendler are all set to miss for Armin Reutershahn and Michael Wiesinger's men, but Javier Pinola will return from suspension.
Nurnberg striker Daniel Ginczek is aware of his side's poor start but hopes a visit from Dortmund will finally kick-start their season.
"We aren't at matchday 34 yet. We have played two bad games, but we will give all we can to be the first team to steal points off Dortmund," Ginczek told the club's official website.
Coach Michael Wiesinger, meanwhile, believes a sell-out home crowd at the Grundig-Stadion is sure to lift his side.
"Dortmund arrive with exceptional quality. We will have to be alert and carefully be aggressive. We must take matters into our own hands," Wiesinger said.
"The thought of playing in front of 50,000 fans is sheer motivation for us."

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