Dortmund vs Sporting Clube de Portugal - Gotze keen to guide Dortmund to another CL final

Posted Tuesday, November 01, 2016 by PA

Borussia Dortmund can wrap up their place in the knockout stages of the Champions League on Wednesday night with a win over Sporting, and one man in particular is hoping to inspire them to victory.

Mario Gotze missed out on the 2013 final against Bayern Munich due to injury and reaching another final, in his second spell at the Westphalian club, is one of his biggest objectives.

"I almost had that chance but injury denied me," the 24-year-old told UEFA.com.

"To do it would be my biggest dream come true. I've been working every day for it.

"I have positive memories of 2012/13 because we got to the final, but it was a pity we weren't able to crown that season by winning the final.

"Yet that was a long time ago. I'm focusing on the future and on this Champions League season."

Dortmund may be struggling for form in the Bundesliga at the moment, but they have made an impressive start to their European campaign with two wins and a draw with holders Real Madrid in their first three Group F encounters.

Booking their passage to the last 16 with two games to spare - including a trip to the Spanish capital - would therefore be a huge fillip which could also spark a revival in their domestic form.

"It's not going to be easy against Sporting," Gotze said. "They are dangerous opponents as we saw in Lisbon, but we're playing at home, that's a great advantage, and we want the points."

Sporting need to do something they have never done before if they are to boost their own qualification chances at the Westfalenstadion.

The Portuguese side have never won in Germany, losing 11 of their 12 previous visits, while their league form has suffered too with three straight draws seeing them slip to fourth in the Primeira Liga, seven points adrift of league leaders Benfica.

Defeat combined with a win for Real Madrid over Legia Warsaw in the group's other game would signal the end of their Champions League campaign this season.