Klopp defiant as Dortmund welcome Napoli
Monday, November 25, 2013
Article summary
"We cannot be knocked off course so easily," said Jürgen Klopp whose Borussia Dortmund must get back to winning ways against an SSC Napoli side on the verge of qualifying.
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Borussia Dortmund coach Jürgen Klopp insists his team have not lost their way despite a run of three straight losses but admits they must start winning again now. His SSC Napoli counterpart, Rafael Benítez, meanwhile, is looking forward to measuring up against last season's UEFA Champions League runners-up and seeing just how far his team have come.
• Napoli will be through with a win. A draw will be enough for Napoli as long as Arsenal FC do not also draw with Olympique de Marseille. Dortmund will be out with a loss unless Arsenal lose. Dortmund will be out with a draw if Arsenal win.
Dortmund
Jürgen Klopp, coach
We cannot influence public opinion about our games. We have lost three in a row, but some players had internationals in between and won there, so that should give them a boost. We have the feeling we've dropped some points along the way, points we would have liked to have taken, but this will help Napoli only if we play badly tomorrow. We are highly focused and cannot be knocked off course so easily.
Napoli lost against Parma [on Saturday] but I don't think anyone there is speaking of a crisis. Maybe two 'crisis-stricken' clubs will meet now – in the end hopefully nobody will notice that on the pitch.
Some people have said this is the strongest of all the groups. Some have said it is the most exciting one. It will depend on us to keep things exciting. Nobody can be sure of themselves. What is a fact is that if we don't win twice, starting from tomorrow, things will be difficult for us.
Weekend result
Saturday: Dortmund 0-3 FC Bayern München (Götze 66, Robben 85, Müller 87)
Weidenfeller; Grosskreutz, Friedrich, Sokratis, Durm; Bender (Piszczek 79), Şahin; Błaszczykowski (Aubameyang 71), Mkhitaryan (Hofmann 71), Reus; Lewandowski.
• BVB suffered a third successive defeat for the first time since January/February 2010. Robert Lewandowski and Marco Reus had chances before former BVB man Mario Götze struck, and Manuel Neuer brilliantly denied Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Reus after before two late goals on the counterattack sealed it.
Team news
Back after two hip operations, Łukasz Piszczek made his first appearance since May against Bayern and Klopp said: "If we need him, he will be there." An unused substitute on Saturday, Sebastian Kehl (ankle) is also available to make his first appearance since 1 September. "His leadership and experience is something we could use quite well tomorrow. So yes, he is an option." Neven Subotić (knee), Mats Hummels (heel) and Marcel Schmelzer (calf) are long-term absentees.
Napoli
Rafael Benítez, coach
We are up against really top-class opponents, who I respect tremendously. They have earned this from their great performances in Europe last season. I love such duels. It will be a real gauge of how far we have come.
Everyone has to be there tomorrow, every position. I expect the midfielders to help out the defence and when we are in possession our defence has to support our attacks. I expect a cohesive team effort.
We did well in three of our four games so far, right from the kick-off. Only at Arsenal did things not go the way we would have liked. The team is still developing [and] even with a defeat or a draw we would still have the chance to continue in two weeks' time.
Both teams have injuries and we believe that Dortmund will come out and attack. We will have to focus on finding ways to defend and at the same time hurt them with our attacks.
Weekend result
Saturday: Napoli 0-1 Parma FC (Cassano 81)
Reina; Maggio, Albiol, Britos, Armero; Behrami, Inler (Zapata 87); Callejón, Pandev (Hamšík 68, Mertens 77), Insigne; Higuaín.
• Napoli suffered their first Serie A home defeat since 12 December 2012. They won 13 of the intervening 16 league games at the Stadio San Paolo.
Team news
Miguel Britos, out since dislocating his collarbone on 18 October, started on Saturday. Marek Hamšík made his 278th appearance for Napoli, going level with Paolo Cannavaro in fifth on the club's all-time list, but limped off with a foot injury soon after his introduction and has been ruled out of the Dortmund game.
Match fact
• Dortmund's greatest moment came when they beat an Italian team, Juventus, 3-1 in Munich to lift the 1997 UEFA Champions League. Last season was their most successful campaign since then, remaining unbeaten until the semi-final second leg when they lost 2-0 at Real Madrid CF.