Emre Can Confident Borussia Dortmund Can Revive Season Through Champions League Match Against Sporting CP

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Emre Can expressed that Borussia Dortmund aims to use their Champions League play-off against Sporting CP as a catalyst for improving their season. Dortmund, who were runners-up in last year's Champions League, have struggled domestically, sitting 11th in the Bundesliga after losing to Stuttgart in Nico Kovac's debut match. Despite this, they have performed better in European competitions.

Dortmund narrowly missed the top eight in the league phase by just one point. Their confidence is bolstered by a strong record against Portuguese teams in the Champions League. They boast a 64% win rate (P14 W9 L5) against Portuguese sides, which is higher than any other nation they've faced over ten times in Europe.

Can acknowledged the difficulty of reversing their fortunes but remains optimistic. "It is not easy (to turn things around)," he stated during a press conference. "Not everything in the past weeks has been negative. We know it is about winning, but you have to try to stay positive. The negative will not take you further."

Nico Kovac will lead Dortmund for the first time in a Champions League match since his appointment. He has an impressive away record in the competition, remaining unbeaten in six matches (W4 D2) with Bayern Munich. However, he faces challenges with Ramy Bensebaini out due to a muscle injury sustained against Stuttgart.

Kovac highlighted Sporting CP's quality, stating, "We are facing a tough team... This means for us we must be aware of the technical skills and focused over 90 minutes." He emphasised the importance of securing a favourable result to enhance their chances of advancing to the next round.

Optimism Amidst Challenges

Dortmund's struggles in domestic competitions threaten their place among Europe's elite clubs. However, Can remains hopeful about their potential turnaround. Reflecting on last season's unexpected success, he said, "No one believed it last season, and we reached the final... we can try to be successful."

The team hopes that a strong performance against Sporting CP will set them on a path to success both domestically and internationally.