Borussia Dortmund play Sabah FK in the Champions League on Tuesday, aiming to arrest their winless run of three matches. The sides meet for the first time in a competitive fixture. Here are three things to watch from the encounter in Baku, Azerbaijan:
1) Another tricky away fixture
In normal circumstances, Borussia Dortmund would have been billed as the favorites against a side that's making its Champions League debut. But the situation is slightly different here. The BVB are on a three-game winless run since returning from the international break and this match marks the third consecutive time they are playing away from home, having traveled to Norway and Berlin previously.
Additionally, this one's the farthest travel yet, with the Black and Yellow making a five-hour journey from Dortmund to Baku. Sporting manager Nils-Ole Book has already warned of the weather conditions there, with the Azeri capital apparently clocking 25 degrees. One big source of positivity however, is that Dortmund have never failed to beat a club from Azerbaijan in their four previous games.
2) Dortmund's attacking woes
One of the biggest reasons for Dortmund's struggles post the international break has been their inability to score a handful of goals. In fact, they have drawn a blank in back-to-back games now against Bodo/Glimt and Union Berlin. In the 2-2 draw with Werder Bremen that preceded these games, the Prussians were rendered goalless for 80 minutes.
There's a worrying pattern that has emerged from these games, which is holding up too much of the ball without creating meaningful chances. They have been lacking in the killer ball to cut open defenses, while there's also the issue of Serhou Guirassy's dry spell. Dortmund's primary source of goals, the Guinean has failed to score in his last five appearances for the side.
3) Sabah FK's terrific record in Baku
The Bank Respublika Arena, where Dortmund are scheduled to play tomorrow, has been turned into a fortress by Sabah FK, who boast a 100% win record there in Europe this season. They won all four of their qualifier fixtures in Baku, beating The New Saints (2-0), KuPS (1-0), Aarhus (4-0) and Hapoel Be'er Sheva (5-2), before the 2-0 defeat of Slavia Praha on matchday two of the League Phase.
That's warning enough for Dortmund, who are running on fumes right now. If they were to clinch all three points from the clash, it's imperative for the side to bring their A-1 game.
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