Champions League: It’s a Toss-Up Between BVB and Eindhoven

Borussia Dortmund vs PSV Eindhoven

Because Borussia Dortmund and PSV Eindhoven drew 1-1 in the first leg of their Champions League Round of 16 tie, SBOTOP football fans can expect a fiercely contested second leg between these two sides when they move the venue to Signal Iduna Park on Wednesday.

Since the said first leg last month, both sides have built momentum ahead of this clash because BVB and Eindhoven have gone undefeated in their last two league games, with the former beating Werder Bremen last time out and the latter eking out a tight victory against Go Ahead Eagles last weekend.

Something has to give when these two sides meet again, but guessing the winner of this contest is anyone’s guess. Either way, we’re in for a treat since we’re going to have our dose of Champions League 2024 highlights.

Talking Points

Borussia Dortmund need a big game from Hummels and Sancho

Because this is going to be their second game in four days, Edin Terzic will likely rotate his squad against PSV Eindhoven.

Marcel Sabitzer was sent off against Werder Bremen on Sunday, but that doesn’t apply to the Champions League, so he should be able to start in midfield with Emre Can and Julian Brandt.

But on the other hand, Nico Schlotterbeck will have to serve his one-game suspension due to the accumulation of yellow cards, so Mats Hummels is going to take his place in centre-half alongside Niklas Sule.

This might be a blessing in disguise for BVB since Hummels has been one of the best defenders in the Champions League this season, tallying the most tackles (30) and possessions recovered (67) of any other player so far.

Meanwhile, while Donyell Malen and Niclas Fullkrug are going to be tasked with leading the hosts up front, the x-factor is going to be Jadon Sancho, whose form has been inconsistent lately.

The Manchester United loanee managed to record his first goal since coming back to Signal Iduna Park during the winter transfer window against Werder Bremen, and the hope is that he’ll have more in his bag for the rest of the campaign.

PSV Eindhoven scoring goals for fun

Since their 1-1 draw in the first leg against BVB, PSV Eindhoven have scored 10 goals while conceding four on the other end. As a result, Peter Bosz’s side is unbeaten through 25 league matches so far this season.

Leading the way up front is their veteran striker Luuk de Jong, who currently has 22 goals and 11 assists, while Guus Til, Johan Bakayoko, Ricardo Pepi, and Malik Tillman have combined for 20 goals.

Johan Bakayoko didn’t start against the Go Ahead Eagles on Saturday, so he’s expected to replace Malik Tillman in the starting XI as part of the team’s front three with de Jong and Hirving Lozano.

PSV Eindhoven are likely going to continue to miss the services of Joey Veerman (illness), Ismael Saibari (hamstring), and Noa Lang (hamstring) for this game. 

History

Borussia Dortmund and PSV Eindhoven shared the spoils in the first leg, as Luuk de Jong scored the equaliser in the second half after Donyell Malen scored the first goal of the game during the first half.

This meant that BVB were undefeated in all three of their European games against Eindhoven (W1, D2), with their only previous home game finishing 1-1 in October 2002.

PSV Eindhoven are winless in their last 16 road matches against German clubs in all competitions (D3, L13) since defeating Eintracht Braunschweig in December 1977, with five of their six such losses coming in the Champions League.

And since beating AS Monaco 2-0 in the 2004-05 Round of 16, PSV Eindhoven are winless in their last six road games in the Champions League knockout rounds (D3, L3).

Betting Tip

As expected, the Champions League 2024 odds predict yet another close fight between Borussia Dortmund and PSV Eindhoven. BVB were given the slight edge as the 2.09 favourites, while PSV Eindhoven are at 2.99 odds, and a draw is at 3.44 in the 1X2 market.

Borussia Dortmund may have had their letdowns at home this season, but expect the Signal Iduna Park to be bouncing since this is arguably their most important game of the campaign to date. And overall, they have the stronger squad on paper, hence our recommended bet above.

For alternative bets, Total Goal 2-3 at 2.06 looks interesting. But if you feel that there’ll be more goals, then check out Total Goal 4-6 at 2.68 and Over 3.25 at 2.21.

 

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