Borussia Dortmund

[DennyCrane]

Solid performance from BVB.. Looking good!
Well of course expected from hamburg.

Well, Hamburg isn't a crap club per se. Matches like yesterdays' are just the coherent result of having a coach who likes to change his approach about 4 times per match, having a squad that is loaded from top to bottom with unmotivated players with the sole exception of Adler, having a management that loves themselves some in-fights preferably stretching 'em over an entire season and having a de facto patron who loves to criticise all of the persons mentioned above on a constant basis and in public without contributing anything of relevance by himself to the club.

I admire Rene Adler though, mostly because he can keep himself from physically assaulting some of his comrades-in-arms after matches like yesterday.

 

[Semi-Neutral]

Napoli gonna get wrecked...

 

[Elite-BkD]

No way, it should be a good match, Napoli are far from the pushover that Hamburg is..

 

[suckabov]

Won't be as easy as against Hamburg, but BVB's attack is world-class. Defense is so-so, but Reus/Aubameyang/Mkhitaryan/Sahin is a guaranteed offensive threat.

 

[barcanuck]

Klopp = Satan? Dat face needs a GIF

 

[suckabov]

Unlucky game for Dortmund; pretty much everything went wrong.

- Unlucky first goal. The referee could have waited with the corner until Subotic is back on the pitch. I think he should have, but that's a matter of debate. Still, a corner kick with one CB missing/not on position isn't ideal. Maybe Higuain wouldn't have scored had Subotic been on the field in time, but that's written in the stars.
In general, keeping Subotic out so long was unnecessary. He was okay to go back in the field even before he had to lie down again, it wasn't like his face was all bloody. But shit happens.
- Klopp banned
- Weidenfeller red carded, deservedly
- Hummels injured

Kudos to Dortmund for staying motivated and keep trying though, especially when playing one man down. Gives hope for the next matches. Not their best game, but not bad either. I'm expecting a comfortable home victory next week.
Kudos also to Napoli, good game from them. Seemed to get tired in the last minutes though.

 

[TornAndFrayed]

Pure wrath! Looks like he's gonna tear the referee apart

 

[BarcaGirl]

Klopp goes Hulk

 

[Luftstalag14]

Glad they got the away goal, that's all I can say.

 

[BXI Fútbol]

Glad they got the away goal, that's all I can say.

These are the group stages.

 

[suckabov]

These are the group stages.

Still play a role. From the UEFA Champions League regulations:

7.06 If two or more teams are equal on points on completion of the group matches, the following criteria are applied to determine the rankings (in descending order):
a) higher number of points obtained in the group matches played among the teams in question;
b) superior goal difference from the group matches played among the teams in question;
c) higher number of goals scored in the group matches played among the teams in question;
d) higher number of goals scored away from home in the group matches played among the teams in question;

So if Dortmund and Napoli end up with equal points, the away goal could be relevant for both c) and d).

In this sense, not a fatal defeat for Dortmund at all.

 

[Cule4life]

These are the group stages.

In a group like this goal difference is crucial though

 

[AnfieldEd]

Napoli gonna get wrecked...

HAHA....no way not under Rafa. You should know better. Klopp is excellent but he cannot tactically outclass Rafa.

It wouldn't surprise me to see Dortmund fail to qualify tbh. Rafa is the best tactican out of the three managers and Arsenal seem have that knack of getting out the group stages.

 

[Ode to Django]

Nobody will just roll up at the San Paolo and win, Napoli are borderline unbeatable there

 

[Semi-Neutral]

Benitez wasn't that good tactically with Chelsea last season.

Yeah, I screwed up the prediction, but Dortmund were unlucky and I can't see a club with Albiol as its starting CB qualifying.