So… Where does that 4-1 defeat to Manchester City last Wednesday leave Niko Kovac’s BVB side? For the first time this season, the team got vastly overpowered by an opposition, and it will be very interesting to witness how the team will react. This could quickly propell BVB into a slump, or the players could build upon the disciplin that Niko Kovac has seemingly instilled in them. Hamburger SV haven’t exactly been flying high since their re-entrance into the Bundesliga, which of course leaves the door
open for a quick redemption.
Player to Watch: Rayan Philippe
Dortmund are actually encountering Hamburger SV at quite a favorable time—meaning that two key players in Fabio Vieira and Immanuel Pherai (remember?) are out with a red card apiece. These players have both been key contributors in Merlin Polzin’s side this season, but another player who has stolen the show has been Braunschweig loanee, Rayan Philippe. The 25-year old French winger has scored three goals for Der Dinosaurier this season, and he’s currently in the upper bracket for non-penalty goals for Europes top five leagues.
Dortmund’s defensive line didn’t exactly have a great showing against Manchester City, but there is absolutely no doubt that this should be a very managable task for the team. Although Hamburg currently sit out of the relegation zone, it’s only by a mere 2 points. This of course also means that every point means the end of the world, and if you know a little bit about Hamburger SV and the culture at the club, there is no such thing as a tactical defeat—especially not at home.
Predicted Starting XI
I think there will need to be some rotation in the squad for Saturday’s game—how much, I’m not sure, as there’s also a point in not punishing some of the players who have previously performed well this season, as to keep them in flow. I especially think Ryerson had a shaky showing against City, which makes me believe that Couto will take his place when the ball kicks off at 3:30 PM tomorrow.
This prediction above also reflects that I believe Kovac will go for a more offensive minded lineup against a side who has had a hard time keeping their opponents from goal this season. Chukwuemeka also looked decent against City, which makes him an ideal candidate for tomorrow’s lineup. I kinda feel bad for most of the backline, as most of the players has played a lot to say the least, but I don’t think either Süle or Can will be ready to start, and Bensebaini is not really in contention for the left back spot anymore.
Score Prediction
I really hope that the performance against City was a blip. I’m also pretty confident that the team is able to bounce back, as there have been somewhat tangible traces of consistency in Kovac’s second season in charge. We killed the tradition of actually guessing a result in this segment a while ago, but I think I’m in a good enough mood to revive, even if it’s just for this matchday. Let’s say 3-1 for BVB!
