The Champions League gets back underway on Tuesday when Borussia Dortmund visits Zenit St. Petersburg in the round of 16.
This matchup is a rather interesting one as it features the "weakest" qualifying side against last year's tournament runner-up. Which team manages to take the advantage in the opening leg?
Zenit St. Petersburg
No one is going to overlook the fact that Zenit St. Petersburg is the team with the worst record to qualify for the knockout rounds. The Russian giants were placed in a rather "easy" group that included Atletico Madrid, Porto and tournament debutant Austria Vienna. The Russian side was no match for Madrid in the opening group match and lost 3-1. The team then failed to score a single goal in a 0-0 draw at home against Vienna. Fortunately a 1-0 win over Porto on the road put the team on the right track; a 1-1 draw at home against the same side helped St. Petersburg maintain its slim advantage. The team then earned an essential 1-1 draw at home against Atletico Madrid and looked ready to seize second place; however, a 4-1 drubbing in Vienna seemingly put the team on the brink of elimination; fortunately the team got help from Madrid who defeated Porto 2-0 in the final game. With six points, the team finished second in the group.
Borussia Dortmund
The German giants struggled early on in the Bundesliga but are starting to reach their peak again. The team was drawn into a murderous group of death in the UCL but managed to come away as the group leader. The team lost 2-1 in Napoli in the opener before destroying Marseille 3-0 at home. In its third game at Arsenal, the team managed a 2-1 win on the road; Arsenal responded with a 1-0 win in Dortmund. A 3-1 win over Napoli and Marseille, combined with an Arsenal loss in Napoli helped Dortmund win the top spot in the group.
Dortmund will win if...
It plays manager Jurgen Klopp's fast-paced and physical game. The team will get Robert Lewandowski and Mats Hummels back for the game, making them all the more dangerous. Lewandowski scored four goals in the opening round and should be hungry to put up a strong performance.
Zenit St. Petersburg will win if...
It is actually hard to imagine a scenario where this team manages the upset. Dortmund is far superior to Zenit in every possible way. However, the Russian side has Hulk who can be lethal on the wing and could potentially expose an overconfident German side. Home field advantage is also crucial to St. Petersburg's chances at victory.
Player to watch: Lewandowski. He is always the most dangerous player on the field for Dortmund; his size, strength and tremendous finishing will create a lot of difficulties for a weak St. Petersburg side.
Prediction: Dortmund wins 4-0.
The match kicks off at 12 p.m. EST and can be streamed online on Fox Soccer 2 Go. It can also be viewed on Fox Deportes; ESPN Deportes radio is also streaming the match. Live score updates can be found on ESPNFC.com.
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