Borussia Dortmund vs Anderlecht preview - Dortmund aim to claim top spot

Posted Tuesday, December 09, 2014 by PA

Borussia Dortmund will be looking to build on their 1-0 win over Hoffenheim at the weekend when they host Anderlecht in the Champions League with top spot in Group D at stake.

The Westphalians picked up a much-needed boost in the league at the weekend, moving off the bottom of the table thanks to Ilkay Gundogan's goal.

That moved them onto 14 points from 14 league games, but now they are looking to move onto 15 points in only six Champions League games by beating their Belgian opponents at the Westfalenstadion.

"We're not going to play only for a draw - we want to win," said Gundogan after Saturday's win.

"We've got the chance to finish top of the group and we want to take it."

Only three points would guarantee Dortmund top spot, although a draw or even a defeat could still be enough if Galatasaray deny Arsenal victory in the other group game.

Topping the group would nevertheless be a welcome boost to morale.

"We want to prove in this game that we've really turned the corner," said defender Neven Subotic.

Mitchell Langerak should be picked in goal again with Roman Weidenfeller set to sit on the bench like he did at the weekend.

"It was a purely sporting decision from the coach," said Germany international Weidenfeller to Sport Bild magazine.

"Of course I will accept it."

Anderlecht, who can no longer catch Dortmund or Arsenal, have other concerns having slipped four points adrift of Club Brugge at the top of the Belgian league after losing 4-2 to Mouscron at the weekend.

"I was shocked," admitted their coach Besnik Hasi on anderlecht-online.be. "We were caught napping.

"We conceded three identical goals after I had asked my players to listen to me. All of my players are guilty

"You can't just point the finger at (Frank) Acheampong because the goals came from down the left and he was abandoned by the others.

"All of my players need to take a good look in the mirror. I can see a growing problem with their mentality in the smaller games and when we don't fight, we really are only an average team and it really makes me think."

Hasi is likely to make changes to his side on this, their last Champions League game of the season with third place in the group and a place in the Europa League already wrapped up.