Borussia Dortmund will have some work to do on Tuesday evening if they are going to get past Atletico Madrid and punch their ticket into the Champions League semi-finals.
Facing a 2-1 deficit from the first leg, Edin Terzic has a bit of a selection dilemma to contend with.
Last week, Terzic made a triple attacking substitution in Madrid in a bid to haul his side back on level terms, and they certainly gave their Spanish hosts a scare in the closing stages.
Dortmund warmed up for the second leg with a 2-1 win in the Bundesliga over Borussia Monchengladbach, and the Signal Iduna Park is always a cauldron of noise.
Atletico, on the other hand, have put together a sequence of three wins on the trot, but can they stymie Dortmund?
I have rushed over to the betting markets and handpicked a couple of tips that are worth considering ahead of kick-off.
Borussia Dortmund to lean on home comforts
At one point, it seemed that Atletico would run off into the sunset and put the tie to bed.
They made a blistering start with Rodrigo de Paul putting them ahead in the fourth minute with a Dias Lino strike doubling their advantage just after the half hour mark, and Dortmund were extremely nervy at the back.
However, after an early wobble, Dortmund improved immeasurably, and they put Atletico under pressure in the second half.
Although Dortmund have lost five of their past quarter-final matches and six of the past seven, their home record against Spanish clubs in Europe shouldn’t be underestimated (W8, D7, L3).
Ok, Dortmund are looking to reach the semi-finals for the first time in 12 years when they went on to make the Final, but they have become a formidable presence on home soil, losing just once in their past 17 Champions League appearances.
Atletico can’t just try and park the bus for the full 90 minutes or be too passive, and this could make for an enterprising second leg.
While the first leg wasn’t the cagey draw I originally expected, we could be in for another thrilling 90 minutes.
I think Dortmund will prevail and win with BTTS, which is trading at a tempting 29/10 with William Hill.
Sebastian Haller to come alive again
In the first leg, it was a bit bemusing to see Sebastian Haller start from the bench against Atletico.
When he came off, however, he made an impact and gave Dortmund much-needed hope, scoring his 12th goal in 13 Champions League appearances.
More significantly, it was his first in Dortmund colours, and he will be a tangible threat to Atletico on the evening.
I always like a good match special, and to provide value, I’ve gone with Haller to find the net with his head. Should you wish to pursue that, bet365 has served up a delectable price of 9/1.
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