Champions League: Just One More Point For BVB

Borussia Dortmund vs Club Brugge

Lucien Favre’s Borussia Dortmund need only a draw against Club Brugge to secure a spot in the knockout rounds of the Champions League, and they can’t afford to lose if they don’t want to put their Group A position in great peril.

BVB are currently tied with Atletico Madrid with nine points, ahead on goal difference. However, a defeat here and a Madrid win over Monaco will see them drop to second with just a two-point lead over Brugge heading to the final day of the group stage.

Although Dortmund have the advantage and playing at Signal Iduna Park gives them an extra edge, they know better not to underestimate a team that gave them a hard time in their first meeting last September.

Talking Points

Dortmund are the only undefeated team in the German top flight this year, and they are on an absolute tear after scoring a Bundesliga-high 35 goals and allowing just 13—also a league best.

In the 2018-19 Champions League, BVB won three straight (and kept three clean sheets in the process) before losing 2-0 to Atletico Madrid earlier this month. They have eight goals and two conceded in four games.

Their defeat to Atletico made the Champions League 2018 news, having beaten the Madrid side to the tune of 4-0 in their previous meeting. However, the German giants have since bounced back and seem to have returned to their old, usual selves.

BVB won back-to-back matches in the Bundesliga, including a come-from-behind 3-2 victory over Der Klassiker rivals Bayern Munich. Most recently, they edged out a feisty Mainz side who battled back from a goal down to give Dortmund a scare.

Paco Alcacer has been the biggest revelation for the team so far, already leading them in scoring with 10 in all competitions. He signed a deal to make his move to the North Rhine club permanent, and the former Barcelona man immediately repaid the faith with a strike against the O-Fives…again coming as a substitute.

Paco Alcacer hopes to help BVB win over Club Brugge and seal their slot in the Champions League knockout stage — Paco Alcacer celebrates after hitting a goal for Borussia Dortmund against rivals Bayern Munich

It’s still unknown if Alcacer can keep up his work rate and production, though BVB will be confident with the fact that they found success as a team and not through one man alone.

Marco Reus has also developed as the leader of the team, and his nine goals and five assists show how valuable he is on the pitch. There are also reliable youngsters Jadon Sancho, Jacob Bruun Larsen and Christian Pulisic who have been remarkable for the Black and Yellows this campaign.

Club Brugge will undoubtedly be cautious of the threat that Dortmund bring. After all, they have seen it firsthand and fell victims to it.

Unfortunately for them, they have a lot of work to do if they want to hold their ground against Favre’s men. They limited Dortmund to just a 0-1 win in the first leg of this tie—which is already surprising given BVB’s high-octane offence—but they have lost their last two fixtures in the Belgian First Division A.

Club Brugge’s top attackers, Siebe Schrijvers and Wesley Moraes, both failed to find the back of the net in those two games.

History

As mentioned, Club Brugge held Dortmund to one goal in their September clash. BVB were unlucky that time and needed an 85th-minute winner from Pulisic to survive and open their season on a positive note.

Nonetheless, hopes are high that it will be different this time. BVB have a solid record at Signal Iduna Park, and they have always been a squad that is difficult to beat at home.

BVB are undefeated in nine outings at home in this campaign, winning eight times and drawing once. During that stretch, they kept three clean sheets and allowed opponents to score more than one goal only once.

In contrast, Club Brugge are a poor away team. They have a record of one win, two draws and four defeats in their last seven away fixtures.

While they did beat Monaco 4-0 away from home, it was more on Monaco not being good enough. In fact, before winning against Monaco, they have lost seven straight Champions League matches on the road.

Betting Tip

	Borussia Dortmund vs Club Brugge	Total Goal 2-3 @ 2.17
	November 29, 04:00 (GMT+8)

Dortmund for the win is the easy and obvious pick here. The Champions League 2018 odds suggest that, and Asian Handicap Betting at SBOBET even points to a one-sided affair.

Club Brugge are capable of putting up a fight, but it’s doubtful they can stop Dortmund who have their eyes on the big prize.

I predict a 2-0 or 2-1 win for Dortmund at Signal Iduna Park, though I’m going for the relatively safe bet to get a decent profit.