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Dortmund's Klopp not buying Valverde view

Olympiacos FC coach Ernesto Valverde describes the Group F encounter with Borussia Dortmund as "decisive for both teams", an opinion not shared by opposite number Jürgen Klopp.

Jürgen Klopp's Dortmund are still searching for their first win in Group F
Jürgen Klopp's Dortmund are still searching for their first win in Group F ©Getty Images

There were contrasting opinions from the coaches ahead of the meeting of the bottom two in UEFA Champions League Group F. While Olympiacos FC's Ernesto Valverde said the match is a "decisive one for both teams",  Borussia Dortmund counterpart Jürgen Klopp believes it is "not a final" as he worries over his paucity of options in attack for the visitors.

Olympiacos
Coach Ernesto Valverde

Tomorrow's match is crucial, a decisive one for both teams. We're playing at home and want to win our first points of the campaign. We have great respect for Dortmund, they are a very good side. They are the German champions and are equally as effective in defence and attack. They have the spirit of champions and it will be a very difficult match for us.

They attack and defend with 11 players. They take risks and we expect a free-flowing game. They have very good players, especially their forwards. Mario Götze is a special player, as is [Robert] Lewandowski. They were very unlucky to take just a point from their previous two matches. We have some injuries after Saturday's match so we only have 18 or 19 players available.

Weekend result
Saturday: AEK Athens FC 1-1 Olympiacos FC (Leonardo 43; Mirallas 23)

Costanzo; Modesto, Marcano, Papadopoulos, Holebas; Orbaiz, Ibagaza (Makoun 90+1); Abdoun (Fetfatzidis 64), Fuster (Mellberg 46), Mirallas; Djebbour

• Olympiacos's 100% start to the Super League campaign ended in a game both sides finished with ten men after François Modesto and Grigoris Makos were dismissed two minutes from time. The Greek champions have not kept a clean sheet in six outings this season.

Team news
David Fuster fractured his rib on Saturday and joins Francisco Yeste on the sidelines. Giannis Maniatis (groin) and Francisco Fejsa (ankle) are back in training while Vassilis Torossidis is recovering from a rib injury suffered on international duty.

Dortmund
Coach Jürgen Klopp

Olympiacos are experienced, technical and like to pressurise opponents. Individually they may not be that strong, but they are a good team. We only have one experienced forward. I can't look anywhere else and I'm worried − I will field the players that are available.

It will be difficult but we're not bothered by Olympiacos' previous results against German opposition. Dortmund have one point and Olympiacos have none, but they were good against Marseille in their opener and could have won it. We have to start winning points and remain in contention, but tomorrow's match is not a final. We don't fear the atmosphere, we're used to it.

Weekend result
Friday: SV Werder Bremen 0-2 Dortmund (Perišić 42, Owomoyela 71)

Weidenfeller; Owomoyela, Subotić, Hummels, Löwe; S Bender, Gündoğan (Kehl 74); Grosskreutz, Götze (Leitner 89), Perišić; Lewandowski (Barrios 88)

• Ivan Perišić opened the scoring but was then sent off two minutes into the second half as Dortmund won their third successive Bundesliga game. Former Bremen defender Patrick Owomoyela marked his maiden appearance this season with his first top-flight goal since 13 December 2009.

Team news
Marvin Bakalorz, who has not played this season because of an Achilles problem, is available but Mohamed Zidan and Marcel Schmelzer have not played since matchday one and two respectively due to thigh problems. Lucas Barrios (back) did not travel, while Owomoyela is sidelined with a groin injury.

Match fact
Olympiacos have had some remarkable home games against German opponents, including a 6-2 victory against Bayer 04 Leverkusen in the 2002/03 UEFA Champions League first group stage and a 4-0 defeat by Hamburger SV in the 1982/83 European Champion Clubs' Cup second round. In five home competitive fixtures there have been a total of 25 goals; the Greek side have won three of those matches with two losses.

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