Klopp backs Dortmund to better Arsenal

Borussia Dortmund coach Jürgen Klopp is expecting a tough contest against an Arsenal FC side he believes "can beat anyone" but he believes that the Gunners' attacking instincts could work in his side's favour, particularly if Shinji Kagawa remebers "to have fun".

Dortmund
Coach Jürgen Klopp
We're looking forward to this match. I have had a discussion with [Shinji] Kagawa as things have changed a lot for him over the last year and he has become an important player with new responsibilities now. It is normal that he won't play perfectly in every match so I told him that it is important that he has fun. And maybe tomorrow he will play fantastically again.

They have a very good team who can beat anyone. They play very attacking football but it does not matter who plays for them, we have to focus on us. Arsène Wenger is one of the most impressive coaches and his Arsenal team has been playing very well for years and he has done a great job.

I think it is good for us that Arsenal play attacking football. The problem is that they have so much quality that we have to be very careful. But we are prepared. We are capable of defending against this kind of team and have to work to make space and impose our own game.

Weekend result
Saturday: Dortmund 1-2 Hertha BSC Berlin
(Lewandowski 88; Raffael 50, Niemeyer 81)
Weidenfeller; Piszczek, Subotić, Hummels, Schmelzer; Bender (Zidan 73), Gündoğan (Da Silva 46); Błaszczykowski (Perišić 59), Kagawa, Grosskreutz; Lewandowski

• Dortmund's second Bundesliga defeat of the season ended an 18-match unbeaten run at home, which had dated back to their 1-0 loss to Sevilla FC on 30 September last year.

Team news
Lucas Barrios is yet to play this season after tearing a thigh muscle during Paraguay's Copa América final defeat by Uruguay. Also yet to appear are Marvin Bakalorz (Achilles), Patrick Owomoyela (hip) and Julian Kock (knee ligament tear).

We are used to playing matches across Europe but it is special in Dortmund, because of the spectators. They are well organised and technically good. [Mario] Götze is maybe the best young German player. We have to control him and take good care of him. I did not want Dortmund in the draw, there were a lot of weaker category 4 teams and so I was a little bit disappointed about drawing Dortmund. But it is also motivating to play against such a strong team in such a big stadium.

Weekend result
Saturday: Arsenal 1-0 Swansea City FC
(Arshavin 40)
Szczęsny; Sagna, Mertesacker, Koscielny, Gibbs; Ramsey, Frimpong (Coquelin 75), Arteta; Arshavin (Benayoun 63), Walcott, Van Persie (Chamakh 81)

• Andrey Arshavin ended a run of 19 games without a goal for club and country. He had last found the net on 19 March.

Team news
Tomáš Rosický is out with a knee injury suffered on international duty, Aaron Ramsey also did not travel after picking up an ankle injury in training, while Jack Wilshere (ankle, out since 4 September) and Thomas Vermaelen (left ankle, 24 August) are both sidelined. Abou Diaby has not played since 9 June and underwent surgery on an ankle injury at the start of the summer. Sébastien Squillaci has not featured this season due to a calf problem.

Match fact
While 1997 winners Dortmund are ending a nine-year group stage absence, Arsenal are competing for a 14th straight season. In Dortmund's last participation they faced Arsenal, losing 2-0 away but winning 2-1 at home with two Rosický goals.