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Pressure is off for Borussia Dortmund heading into Arsenal tie
By Stefan Buczko




A point against Borussia Dortmund will ensure Arsenal's qualification for the knock-out phase of the UEFA Champions League.
It's Game 1 for Borussia Dortmund after the blow of Marco Reus' right ankle ligament injury: They will have to learn to win without their star player for the rest of 2014. The Black and Yellows can start in the Champions League against Arsenal on Wednesday, where they only need a draw to seal their group win. Their five-point lead over the second-place Gunners means BVB will still be in pole position -- even if they lose -- so the pressure is off.
So far the Champions League has been an oasis in the Bundesliga desert for Borussia Dortmund fans. Three points against SC Paderborn on Saturday were obviously a Fata Morgana (a mirage), as BVB only managed a point in a 2-2 draw and appear to be on quicksand in their attempt to go up the Bundesliga table.
Hence sacrificing the Champions League for the sake of Champions League qualification is a necessary irony for the club now -- which doesn't mean they have to lose on purpose in London, but they need to approach the game with the priority already on next weekend. Either way, for once BVB fans can kick back and enjoy their team playing in a continental competition without the agony of having to win.
Even for manager Jurgen Klopp it almost feels like a day off, saying, "We cannot change the Bundesliga situation tomorrow -- so for me it's a little bit like a holiday."
 
With Dortmund sitting comfortably, Jurgen Klopp has the luxury of allowing some of his players to rest.
The Dortmund coach has the luxury to shuffle his lineup as he pleases and rest some of his players. Ideally, that involves the highly anticipated comebacks of three players who have yet to play this season. Nuri Sahin, Jakub Blaszczykowski and Oliver Kirch are finally fit again after long injury spells and desperate to kick a ball. It is the perfect opportunity for them to acclimatise again to competitive football, while Shinji Kagawa or Henrikh Mkhitaryan can get a breather.
Ciro Immobile and Adrian Ramos definitely don't need to be rested. Both strikers didn't play as much as they would have hoped in recent weeks, as they could not get past the in-form Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang. Now the Gabonese striker will most likely fill in for Reus and leave the striker position open. Klopp might go for both strikers, as Immobile and Ramos have been excellent so far in the Champions League, scoring three goals each.
Only his centre-back pairing the BVB manager cannot change, as Mats Hummels and Sokratis Papastathopoulos are not ready yet. So last weekend's starting pair of Neven Subotic and Matthias Ginter can be sure to expect a stern test on Wednesday. Arsenal are still in need of points and will try to maintain their chances of finishing first. Klopp's side cannot rely on Arsenal's attack being as wasteful as they have been against Manchester United, but the Bundesliga side hopes to hit their English opponents on the counterattack.
Not having to be the proactive side is one of the reasons why the Champions League has been far more successful competition for Dortmund. They feel comfortable in a more passive set-up where they can use their transitional play and thrive even more once they go ahead.
Yet, Borussia Dortmund won't come out to play for the draw -- even if they wanted to, they just wouldn't be able to do so. In the chaotic world of Dortmund's 2014-2015 season so far, 0-0 draws haven't happened as the club either throws away sound leads or make epic comebacks to snatch a late equalizer. A dull, calculated result isn't in BVB's DNA and as both sides have defensive frailties, football fans can prepare for a fun night at the Emirates.
 
http://www.espnfc.com/club/borussia-dortmund/124/blog/post/2163776/uefa-champions-league-pressure-is-off-for-borussia-dortmund-heading-into-arsenal-tie