Focus on Borussia Dortmund ahead of Tottenham clash

Tottenham resume their Champions League campaign when Borussia Dortmund visit Wembley in the first leg of their last-16 tie on Wednesday.

Spurs are hoping to better their achievements of last year and make it to the quarter-finals, but will face a tough test.

Here, Press Association takes a closer look at the German side.

One man who Tottenham need to be concerned about will need no introduction. Jadon Sancho burst into the limelight following his England call-up before Christmas and he is in fine form. He scored one and made the other two goals for Dortmund in their 3-3 draw against Hoffenheim at the weekend and the teenager is tearing up the Bundesliga this season. Still only 18, Sancho has bagged eight goals and provided 11 assists in 28 games and whoever plays at left-back for Tottenham, likely to be Jan Vertonghen, might have a sleepless night tonight. Sancho forgot his passport on the way over to London, and Spurs will be hoping he forgot his boots as well!

Dortmund are in a fine position to claim their first Bundesliga title since 2012 as they sit five points clear at the summit. That was recently nine, but back-to-back draws have seen Bayern Munich cut that gap. Lucien Favre’s side will still fancying their chances of finishing the season as champions. They have played a highly attacking brand of football, which has seen them fire in 54 goals and have only been stopped from scoring only once. The German media are suggesting they are going through a crisis because they have drawn their last three games in all competitions and they will be keen to put that right at Wembley.

Tottenham will be encouraged by the absence of Dortmund captain Marco Reus, who has been ruled out with a muscle injury. The winger picked up the injury in a cup game with Werder Bremen a fortnight ago and has been unable to shake off the problem. The German side will miss Reus’ threat, which has seen him score 17 goals and create 13 others in all competitions this season. A number of other players are out for Favre’s men as well, as flu has swept the camp.

Although Dortmund are a different side now, Tottenham have positive memories of playing against them in the Champions League as they won both games in the group stage last season. Mauricio Pochettino’s side rolled them over 3-1 at Wembley as Harry Kane’s double added to Son Heung-min’s early opener and the same two players delivered again in a 2-1 win at the Signal Iduna Park, which helped Spurs top the group ahead of Real Madrid.

Dortmund might be hesitant about returning to Wembley as they have lost both games they have played here in the Champions League. Along with their defeat to Spurs last season they were also beaten in the 2012-13 campaign when Jurgen Klopp’s side lost to Bayern Munich in the final that was held at the national stadium to commemorate the Football Association’s 150th anniversary. Dortmund have lifted Europe’s premier cup competition, though, as they won the 1996-97 version. They also won the Cup Winners’ Cup in 1965-66.