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‘Inexperience won’t cost Dortmund’: Klopp

Borussia Dortmund manager Jurgen Klopp has insisted his side won't freeze in the second-leg of their Champions League semi-final against Real Madrid on Tuesday despite their relative inexperience.

'Inexperience won't cost Dortmund': Klopp
Dortmund's head coach Juergen Klopp gestures towards Real Madrid's Portuguese coach Jose Mourinho prior to the first leg match. Photo: Patrik Stollarz

The German side take a commanding 4-1 lead to the Santiago Bernabeu thanks to Robert Lewandowski's four-goal haul in the first-leg last week and Klopp is confident his players have built up enough big game experience over the past few years to ensure the big stage doesn't get to them.

"I don't think any of our players have played in a Champions League semi-final before, but for us it a similar situation to the German Cup final last year," said Klopp, whose side drew 2-2 in Madrid in the group stage.

"Then we had to face Bayern Munich after we had won the league and they were giving everything, but my players were very cool on that day because the only way to achieve your dream is to be brave so that is what we try to do.

"We could lose the game of course, but the way you lose the game is more important. The players can only give their best and I have no doubt they will do this."

With a three-goal advantage the obvious gameplan for Dortmund would be to sit back and wait for their opportunities to counter-attack, but Klopp said they will go in search of the away goal that could seal the tie.

"We will neither go out to defend or attack. We have to wait and see what happens during the match and it would be silly for us to say what we are going to do just now. We have great attacking potential and if we need it tomorrow we have the necessary strength.

"The important thing in football is balance. When we attack, we all attack.

When we defend we all defend."

Should Dortmund make it to Wembley for the final it would seal a remarkable recovery from a club that was close to bankruptcy as recently as 2005 and if they withstand the expected onslaught from Madrid, Klopp believes it is their qualities as a team that will have proved decisive against the Spanish champions.

"No one could have imagined we would be here some years ago. We need to focus on tomorrow's game, we haven't achieved anything yet and we are only halfway. Something historic will happen tomorrow either way, it will be a historical feat if we qualify and if we are knocked out.

"We have a very good team but we know the best individuals don't win but rather the team that gives the best collective effort." 

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FOOTBALL

Black Lives Matter: Marcelo ‘takes the knee’ to celebrate Real Madrid win

Marcelo celebrated by taking a knee as Real Madrid returned from three months away following the coronavirus suspension by beating Eibar 3-1 on Sunday.

Black Lives Matter: Marcelo 'takes the knee' to celebrate Real Madrid win
Real Madrid's Brazilian defender Marcelo kneels on the field to celebrate his goal. Photo: AFP

After scoring Madrid's third goal in the 37th minute, Marcelo dropped onto his left knee and raised his clinched right fist into the air, apparently in support of the Black Lives Matter movement.

Madrid's win may have come at a cost as Eden Hazard and Sergio Ramos were both substituted early in the second half and were seen with ice packs strapped to them while sitting in the stands.

Hazard was making his first start since February and his ice pack appeared to be around his troublesome right ankle, which he injured in November and February, before undergoing surgery in March.

“We knew Eden would lack a bit of rhythm playing the whole game,” coach Zinedine Zidane said.

“He played well for an hour, he took a knock which was a scare but at half-time he said he was fine. He is happy with what he has done and we are happy with him.”

Madrid's win means they reduce the gap behind league leaders Barcelona back to two points after the Catalans thrashed Real Mallorca 4-0 on Saturday.    

Madrid struck in the fourth minute after a superb strike from Toni Kroos before Ramos tucked away Hazard's pass on the counter-attack.    

Eibar pulled one back in the second half through Pedro Bigas but never found the second to make Madrid nervous, despite a brief spell of pressure.    

Before going off, Hazard was busy, the Belgian involved in all three goals.    

His weaving run through midfield led to Kroos' shot and it was his effort that was cleared out to Marcelo, who drove into the corner.    

After a miserable opening season in Spain, it was a bright start for Hazard, who could now redeem himself by playing a crucial role in the run-in, if he can stay injury-free.

Perhaps even more impressive though was Karim Benzema, who linked up brilliantly with Hazard and was unfortunate not to get the goal an excellent all-round performance deserved.

Gareth Bale started on the bench but came on and could start against Valencia on Thursday.

Zidane is likely to rotate heavily over the next few weeks, with the games coming thick and fast.

New surroundings

Madrid's coach will also have been pleased to get off to a positive start in their new training ground home, which was the 100th different stadium to be used in La Liga.

They will be playing all their remaining home matches at the Alfredo di Stefano Stadium to allow renovation work at the Santiago Bernabeu to continue this summer.

“We know the situation, it's all a bit strange,” said Zidane. “But the players are all champions and we have to get our heads around it.”    

Barca had needed less than two minutes to score against Mallorca and Madrid were only slightly later, as Hazard broke through Eibar's midfield and Casemiro set Benzema free.

The ball was cleared to Kroos on the edge of the area, who struck first time, sidefooting perfectly into the far top right-hand corner.   

Ramos doubled their advantage after starting, and finishing, a ruthless counter-attack. In between, Benzema and Hazard were involved again, the former picking out the latter, who generously gave Ramos an open goal.

Marcelo put Eibar all but out of sight before half-time as Benzema played through for Hazard and his shot spilled out to Marcelo to lash into the corner.

Eibar were better after the break as Edu Exposito forced a full-stretch save from Thibaut Courtois and then Sergi Enrich headed against the crossbar. 

Bigas did score after diverting in Pedro Leon's shot but Madrid held on.    

Earlier, Diego Costa scored his first goal since October but Atletico Madrid missed the chance to move into La Liga's top four by drawing 1-1 away at Athletic Bilbao.

Costa celebrated by holding up the shirt of Virgina Torrecilla, a player from Atletico's women's team, who underwent surgery on a brain tumour last month.

His equaliser came two minutes after the excellent Iker Muniain had given Bilbao the lead towards the end of the first half and neither side could find a winner at the empty San Mames, with Atletico defender Santiago Arias missing the best chance late on.

Diego Simeone's side stay sixth, level on points with Getafe and one behind Real Sociedad, who were held to a 1-1 draw at home to Osasuna.

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