Borussia Dortmund have improved since losing to Uefa Champions League semi-final opponents Paris St-Germain in the group stage of this season’s competition, manager Edin Terzic believes.
PSG won the fixture 2-0 at home in September and had 18 of the 28 shots when they drew 1-1 in Germany in December, giving Luis Enrique’s side cause for confidence when the teams meet again in the final four.
“Our first game against them wasn’t good,” said Terzic. “In the second game, we adjusted to them better and were closer to victory.
“We’re a better team today than we were against them in the group stage.”
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Fifth in the Bundesliga, Dortmund lost the first leg of their quarter-final 2-1 at Atletico Madrid but went through 5-4 on aggregate after a remarkable second-leg victory.
Julian Brandt and Ian Maatsen struck within five first-half minutes of each other, but a triple substitution by Atleti produced dividends as they restored their lead in the tie with two second-half goals.
With less than 20 minutes remaining, two rapid goals from Niclas Fullkrug and Marcel Sabitzer turned the tie again and ensured Dortmund advanced.
Dortmund v Atletico ‘crazy’
“It was a crazy game for the fans and for us,” said Brandt. “A great game for us, for our fans and for all football fans around the world. For me, Marcel Sabitzer was our most important man today.”
Dortmund are in the semi-finals for the first time since 2012/13, taking on a PSG side who came from two goals behind on aggregate during the second leg to beat Barcelona.
Borussia Dortmund are Champions League semi-final bound for the first time in eleven years 🏆💪
𝐇𝐈𝐒𝐓𝐎𝐑𝐈𝐂.#UCL pic.twitter.com/cVTsDJPDof
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) April 16, 2024
Kylian Mbappe scored the final two goals of the tie to take his record to 48 goals in 71 Champions League games.
“It’s going to be very serious against Paris,” predicted Brandt. “We played well against them at home in the group stage, but not well away. We want to do better now and, of course, reach the final.”
Terzic added: “I’m extremely happy, extremely proud. The atmosphere today was extremely good.
“We had two moments today that could have set us back but we were strong and deserved to progress in the end. I’m proud to say that we deserved to progress against a team like Atletico Madrid.”
