The upcoming clash between FC Barcelona and Borussia Dortmund is a highly anticipated encounter. Two of Europe’s most intense sides, the Spanish and German teams will have a lot to prove in this upcoming encounter. For Barcelona in particular, however, it will be a game that they desperately need a win from.
While even a draw would not be a bad result for La Blaugrana from the perspective of points, there is more to it than meets the eye. In terms of a broader context, Barcelona need to showcase that they are a team that can compete to win and do so convincingly against the best of the best.
Even then, it must be kept in mind that this game will be far from an easy one. However, ahead of the UEFA Champions League clash between the two sides from La Liga and the Bundesliga, the latter’s coach Nuri Sahin and goalkeeper Gregor Kobel were present to address the media’s questions regarding their opponents.
As highlighted by SPORT, however, Sahin revealed that a certain Barcelona player is his personal favorite, and it may be a name that surprises most people:
“De Jong is my favorite player at Barça. The club should be very happy to have a player like that.”
Interestingly, Frenkie de Jong has been struggling for Barcelona as of late. His performances have not been up the mark and his future at the club remains uncertain as well. While Sahin may have his personal opinion, the reality is that De Jong’s place in the team is currently not exactly cemented too well.
Beyond the €60 million-rated Dutchman, however, the Dortmund coach also believes that his team and Barcelona are close in terms of not just their standings in the league phase of the competition, but also in terms of their respective level:
“We’re playing at the same level. Barça is close to us in the standings, and we want to beat them. It’s crucial we impose our style of play.”
As for Kobel, the goalkeeper wanted to avoid making any kind of excuses due to the injuries that his team is currently dealing with ahead of the game against Barcelona:
“We have a great squad, and it doesn’t matter who’s on the pitch. We perform well with all our players.”
It remains to be seen what eventually ends up happening in the game, but this clash between Dortmund and Barcelona is undoubtedly quite exciting. Both teams will want the win, and while the home advantage will likely favor Borussia Dortmund, the Catalan giants cannot afford to let it impact them.