Underdog Dortmund eyes semis
Source: Agencies |
March 7, 2013, Thursday
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Print Edition
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BORUSSIA Dortmund's sparkling Champions League run this season has seen it advance to the last eight but the underdog's hunger for European recognition has yet to be stilled.
Its first quarterfinal spot in 15 years was sealed on Tuesday with a 3-0 win over Ukraine's Shakhtar Donetsk, giving the Germans a 5-2 aggregate victory.
It was a return to the big time for a club that almost went bust less than a decade ago but has turned its fortunes around, becoming arguably the most entertaining team to watch in the tournament this season.
"Now that we have made the quarterfinals it is only normal to want to advance another step to the semis," said a beaming coach Juergen Klopp, who took over in 2008 and led the team to domestic league titles in 2011 and 2012.
Dortmund failed to get out of the group stages last year after years in the wilderness, but it has been formidable this time around. The 1997 European champion swept aside Ajax Amsterdam, Real Madrid and Manchester City at home to top its pool in the group stage.
Dortmund's win on Tuesday was also the best remedy after playing second fiddle to Bayern Munich in Germany this season. It trails Bayern by 17 points in the league and lost to the Bavarians in the German Cup last week.
Its first quarterfinal spot in 15 years was sealed on Tuesday with a 3-0 win over Ukraine's Shakhtar Donetsk, giving the Germans a 5-2 aggregate victory.
It was a return to the big time for a club that almost went bust less than a decade ago but has turned its fortunes around, becoming arguably the most entertaining team to watch in the tournament this season.
"Now that we have made the quarterfinals it is only normal to want to advance another step to the semis," said a beaming coach Juergen Klopp, who took over in 2008 and led the team to domestic league titles in 2011 and 2012.
Dortmund failed to get out of the group stages last year after years in the wilderness, but it has been formidable this time around. The 1997 European champion swept aside Ajax Amsterdam, Real Madrid and Manchester City at home to top its pool in the group stage.
Dortmund's win on Tuesday was also the best remedy after playing second fiddle to Bayern Munich in Germany this season. It trails Bayern by 17 points in the league and lost to the Bavarians in the German Cup last week.
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