Player ratings from Borussia Dortmund’s 0-0 stalemate with Sporting in the UEFA Champions League knockout playoffs

Niko Kovač’s side will be satisfied with the draw since Dortmund won the tie 3-0 on aggregate, advancing them to the Last-Sixteen.
Borussia Dortmund v Sporting Clube de Portugal - UEFA Champions League 2024/25 League Knockout
Borussia Dortmund v Sporting Clube de Portugal - UEFA Champions League 2024/25 League Knockout | Lars Baron/GettyImages
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Gregor Kobel (6/10) – Kobel didn’t have too much to do in this match, but he did make a save when called upon and earned his second clean sheet in three games.

Julian Ryerson (7/10) – Ryerson won more duels in this match than any other player, winning ten and losing just one. He was the reason Gabriel Teixeira struggled to break into the defense. Ryerson was in near constant movement, transitioning from defense to attack and back again when the situations changed.  

Emre Can (6/10) – Emre Can may have completed ninety passes, but many of them were lateral passes in Dortmund’s third. Emre Can made a trio of important tackles to help secure the clean sheet, but he could be seen drifting out of position at times. He nearly had a goal to win this match but drifted offside.

Nico Schlotterbeck (7/10) – Nico Schlotterbeck was Dortmund’s most accurate passer, and that was obvious with his nine successful long balls. He also had several key recoveries and blocked a shot, typical of the stalwart defender. 

Daniel Svensson (7/10) – Svensson was very impressive in this match, especially in the first half. As a new player in the squad, we still don’t know quite what to expect yet, but today, Svensson showed why he might be a bargain acquisition. He played something of an inverted wing-back roll, drifting into the midfield. He had a cracker of a shot from outside of the box, saved by Silva.