City do not miss more than 10 hours, but Borussia believes in Holand

In the most prestigious club tournament in Europe, Borussia Dortmund did not reach such a late stage for four years.

And, judging by the performances in the national championship, next season will be deprived of the opportunity to repeat the breakthrough.

The home defeat to Eintracht Frankfurt increased the gap between Edin Terzic's team and the leading quartet of the Bundesliga to seven points.

Taking into account the schedule of the last seven rounds, catching up with competitors will not be easy.

Moreover, in the spring, the black and gold have aggravated defense problems.

Weak defense threatens to leave the Germans and the Champions League overboard.

Indeed, in the quarterfinals, they are opposed by almost the best attack on the continent.

Manchester City have hit 100 goals in each season under Pep Guardiola.

And the draw-2020/21, despite all the coronavirus complications, was no exception.

Suffice it to recall how, during the first round of the qualifying stage, the British were different every game evening at least three times.

And in the Premier League, their average performance today is fixed at 2.13 goals.

Especially dangerous are the "townspeople" at home, where for a dozen meetings they have not been defeated in international tournaments.

Guardiola's team won the last three matches of the Champions League playoffs at Etihad.

If we remember that the Premier League vice-champion last lost points at his home stadium on December 15, then the prospects for Dortmund on Tuesday seem dim.

All German footballers are well aware of this, which even the veteran of the team Sebastian Kehl does not hide.

“To be honest, there were two teams that I didn’t want to pair with Borussia, and one of them was City.

I consider them the strongest of the eight quarterfinalists.

A great team with a great coach and great ambitions.

Nevertheless, we are looking forward to these matches, although we understand that it will be quite difficult, ”the midfielder explained.

There are practically no weak spots for Manchester now.

In the Champions League, the team has not conceded for 706 minutes in a row - and is close enough to cover the unique achievement of London Arsenal (995 minutes).

Ball control in the performance of Guardiola's team achieves outstanding performance due to the return of Kevin de Bruyne to service - the Belgian after an injury gained excellent shape and distinguished himself in three games out of his last five.

The completely empty list of injured players allows for maximum flexibility in varying tactics: starting from the tasks for the evening, Manchester can play with three or four defenders, put up clean forwards or a false nine, and also orient laterals towards defense or attack.

Dortmund does not have the human resources to respond to the opponent with the same variability - due to injuries, Yusuf Mukoko, Jadon Sancho, Axel Witzel, Marcel Schmelzel and Dan-Axel Zagadu will miss the match at Etihad.

However, as long as Borussia has Erling Holland, anything is possible.

The best sniper of the tournament (10 goals) made half of his accurate shots on the road.

However, Borussia in England took only four matches out of thirteen.

And the last five meetings with representatives of the Premier League ended in failure for the team.

Whereas Manchester, on the contrary, against German clubs continue an active streak of six victories at their home stadium.

“Beating Manchester City would be a special achievement.

Guardiola is undoubtedly one of the best coaches in the world, his teams have been dominating football for almost 15 years, ”admitted Terzic at the conference before the match.

And he was not cunning, because the proof of the fundamental performances of the Catalan are not only his previous titles, but also the conquests of the current season.

His team is approaching the match against Dortmund with 26 victories in the last 27 matches.

And also a triumph over another German team, Borussia Mönchengladbach, a round earlier.

To cope with such an opponent requires maximum concentration and psychological stability.

It is not yet clear whether Terzich's team has it - the range of results of the team under his leadership is too wide.

However, the black and gold were different in each of the previous 20 away matches.

And this is a good sign for the Dortmund people before going to the Etihad.

Liverpool are on the mend, while Real are left without leading defenders

For Real Madrid, the next two weeks promise to be both important and difficult.

Between the matches with Liverpool in the Champions League quarterfinals, Zinedine Zidane's team will be waiting for El Clasico.

Victories must be obtained in every meeting, since a misfire in the international arena will cost Madrid relegation, while failure in Example will result in a loss of initiative in the pursuit of gold.

Today, Real is already three points behind the leading Atlético.

Failure will further push the champions of Spain away from defending the title.

The situation is complicated by the fact that the team enters the intensive game segment without several backbone performers.

The healing injuries of Dani Carvajal and Sergio Ramos will leave the line of defense vulnerable.

Chronicly injured Eden Hazard will deprive the middle line of creativity.

And without the universalism of Federico Valverde, who is plagued by muscle spasms, it is impossible to adapt to the opponent either from the flanks or in the center.

As a result, Zidane prepares for Liverpool's visit without sufficient tools to prepare traps for the opposition leaders.

And this threatens Real Madrid with fatal consequences, because it was thanks to tactical cunning that the team defeated Atalanta in the previous stage.

And even earlier she left the most difficult group, leaving Italian Inter outside the knockout round.

And in general, the series of 11 matches without defeat in all tournaments "creamy" designed with the help of a competent organization of the game and non-standard strategic maneuvers.

Today, the chain of three victories in a row at home in the Champions League is in danger of being interrupted.

Indeed, unlike the Spaniards, the British have no personnel problems.

The recovery of Fabinho and Diogo Jota, the acquisition of acceptable physical condition by Naby Keita, as well as the rest received by Trent Alexander-Arnold due to not being called up to the national team changed Liverpool beyond recognition.

The champions of England brought two matches in the Premier League to victory without conceding a goal.

Moreover, Jurgen Klopp comes up with increasingly dangerous attacking combinations, adding Jota (six goals in the last four matches for the club and the national team) to the already skillful trio of snipers Mohamed Salah - Sadio Mane - Roberto Firmino.

Will the onslaught of Real Madrid, which have averaged seven shots on target in their last five home games in the Champions League playoffs?

It is extremely doubtful, because without the key player of the defense Sergio Ramos, the Spaniards sag in the effectiveness of destruction.

So much so that in the two previous rallies, the absence of the captain in the central defense zone cost the team a knockout from the tournament.

Of course, Ramos is also remembered in the context of the 2018 finals.

In Kiev, a brutal foul of a Madrid veteran did not allow Mohamed Salah to continue the meeting, which provided the Spaniards with a strategic advantage and then victory.

Now the Egyptian is not in danger - on the contrary, the freedom of movement is guaranteed to be greater.

This means there is a chance to print the sixth dozen away goals for Liverpool.

At the Emirates, the striker scored the 50th anniversary in the 93rd match.

However, in case they fail to contain Mohamed, Real Madrid have a plan “B” - to run across and outplay the British in open football.

Moreover, the main goalscorer of the Spanish champion Karim Benzema is in great shape.

Having scored a goal against Eibar at the weekend, the forward brought his streak of matches with accurate shots to seven in a row.

This is the longest and most productive segment of the Frenchman during his performances at Real Madrid.

Benzema's ability to single-handedly turn the tide of even the most unfortunate meeting for Madrid helped the team more than once during the season.

And on Tuesday, the attacker's actions can be decisive.