With or without Schlotterbeck? The Dortmund starting XI to face Atalanta | OneFootball

Before the Champions League second leg against Atalanta Bergamo, BVB had clarity mainly in defense. Captain Emre Can surprisingly returns to the starting lineup, while a decision has also been made regarding Nico Schlotterbeck.

Borussia Dortmund is in the second leg of the Champions League playoffs on Wednesday (6:45 PM) at Atalanta Bergamo on the verge of reaching the round of 16. After the convincing 2-0 victory in the first leg, coach Niko Kovac's team has secured an excellent position and now aims to bring the lead across the finish line away from home.

In the first encounter, BVB had already laid the foundation. Dortmund was leading by two goals at halftime and allowed nothing defensively – despite the absence of center-backs Nico Schlotterbeck and Niklas Süle. As a result, the young Luca Reggiani had to step in unexpectedly from the start and gained valuable playing time at the highest level.

Before the second leg, the focus was once again on the personnel situation in defense. Schlotterbeck, who had recently been sidelined due to muscular problems and missed the first-leg victory, did complete the final training and is in the squad, but it wasn't enough for a starting position. Therefore, Dortmund still has to manage without the national defender from the beginning.

In the Round of 16: BVB Faces Potential Clash with FC Bayern

On a positive note for the Black and Yellows is the return of captain Emre Can. The midfielder had been out since the end of January due to adductor problems and missed five competitive matches. Now, the leader surprisingly returns to the starting lineup and is expected to provide stability with his experience.

Photo: IMAGO

If BVB secures progression, a renowned opponent awaits in the round of 16. It could either lead to a German duel with Bundesliga leaders Bayern Munich or a clash with Premier League leaders FC Arsenal. The draw will take place on Friday in Nyon, Switzerland.

Lineup of Atalanta Bergamo:

Carnesecchi – Scalvini, Hien, Kolasinac – Zappacosta, De Roon, Pasalic, Bernasconi – Samardzic, Zalewski – Scamacca Bench: Rossi, Sportiello – Kossounou, Bakker, Musah, Sulemana, Ederson, Bellanova, Dijmstri, Vavassori, Ahanor, Krstovic

Lineup of Borussia Dortmund:

Kobel – Anton, Can, Bensebaini – Ryerson, Nmecha, Bellingham, Svensson – Beier, Brandt, Guirassy Bench: Ostrzinski, Meyer – Couto, Schlotterbeck, Özcan, Chukwuemeka, Sabitzer, Fabio Silva, Adeyemi, Inacio, Benkara, Reggiani

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇩🇪 here.