Marco Reus: "Borussia Dortmund are capable of the impossible against Tottenham Hotspur"
Borussia Dortmund captain Marco Reus believes his side can overturn the 3-0 first-leg deficit when they face Tottenham Hotspur in the decisive UEFA Champions League last-16 second leg on Tuesday.
Reus was absent through injury when the sides met in London in February, but made his return after three weeks out against Augsburg on Friday, playing 66 minutes as he eased his way back into action.
"We're not happy with our results at the moment," said the BVB skipper at the team's pre-match press conference on Monday, referring to a run of just one win in their last seven games in all competitions. "It's important to stay positive and to stop making mistakes. We need to come out of this situation stronger as a team."
Watch: How Reus dictates Dortmund's play
Victory against Spurs on Tuesday would certainly help them do just that, with the 29-year-old pointing out that Dortmund have previous when it comes to producing remarkable performances and results at the Signal Iduna Park: "We've already had several games at home where we've made history. We're capable of the impossible."
And rightly so. After all, who could have predicted that Lucien Favre's men would demolish Atletico Madrid – famed for their miserly defence - quite so comprehensively with a 4-0 win in the group stage earlier this season? Going further back, BVB also thrashed Real Madrid 4-1 at home in 2013, while in 2012 late goals from Reus and Felipe Santana, in the 91st and 93rd minutes respectively, ensured a 3-2 win over Malaga in the quarter-final second leg.
Tuesday's task, then, of scoring four times without reply, is not unprecedented. "We know we can always score goals," Reus continued, having contributed 13 of Dortmund's league-high 58 in the Bundesliga this season. "But it'll be important to cut out the mistakes at the back. Obviously we need to find the right balance between attack and defence, because if they score then it'll be very difficult. But we all believe we can do it."
Despite having had several weeks on the sidelines, the Germany international is also confident of being fit enough to go the distance against the Premier League side: "I feel good. I knew I wouldn't be able to play 90 minutes against Augsburg after so long out […] but if I need to play 120 minutes, I'm ready."
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