Sammer plans Madrid offensive

By Manfred Christoph

Having conceded a soft goal to give Real Madrid CF a 2-1 win in last week's UEFA Champions League tie, BV Borussia Dortmund coach Matthias Sammer urged his side not to be caught cold again in the return match tonight.

Clever football
Having taken the lead at the Santiago Bernabeú, Dortmund were finally undone when Luis Figo's quickly taken throw-in allowed Zinedine Zidane to race clear and cross for Ronaldo to provide the finishing touch, but Sammer expects better concentration at the Westfalenstadion. "It is crucial that we are cleverer," he said.

Confident prediction
Sammer took confidence from his side's display in Spain, saying: "We are capable of scoring anytime. We can score twice and if it's necessary we will score three. When we played in Milan we silenced the crowd. Tomorrow [Tuesday] we have to provide the spark."

Pressure on
The pressure is certainly on Dortmund to achieve something against the reigning European champions, after the weekend's 1. Bundesliga games saw their chances of retaining their German title fade even further. A 2-2 draw at neighbours FC Schalke 04 allowed FC Bayern München to extend their lead to ten points.

Strange events
This derby seemed to show that Dortmund were feeling the strain. Striker Dede was somewhat fortunate not to be shown the red card for a challenge on Schalke's Victor Agali when his side were 2-0 down, and Dortmund came even closer to self-destructing when goalkeeperJens Lehmann was dismissed for attacking one of his own players.

Red card
With the scores level at 2-2, Marcio Amoroso lost the ball in midfield, allowing Schalke to counterattack and score. Although the referee ruled the goal out, the incensed Lehmann sprinted out of his area to tell his Brazilian colleague exactly what he thought about his performance. His remonstrations were so vehement that the referee dismissed him, and Lehmann has subsequently received a one-match ban.

Defensive order
The return of Evanilson to the Dortmund side at right-back may help keep a tighter rein on Madrid's attacking players, with Christoph Metzelder returning to his more familiar berth in the centre of defence. Amoroso seems unlikely to feature in the starting lineup.

High expectations
Boosted by a 3-1 win against Real Valladolid at the weekend - a result which briefly put them at the top of the Primera División table - the Madrid coach Vicente del Bosque has almost a full squad to choose from, with Zidane the only significant worry due to foot and back problems. Yet Del Bosque is confident that the Frenchman will be fit enough to take the pitch at the Westfalenstadion, saying: "He trained well yesterday and we think that he can play."

Win or bust
Despite demands from the Madrid boardroom that Del Bosque's side must earn at least a point in Dortmund, the coach played down the significance of the fixture. "It is a very important game but it doesn't decide anything," he said. "I think Dortmund will put us under pressure and we will have to defend. However, it is not our style to play for a draw - we will go out to win."