Borussia Dortmund out to end losing home record against Juventus
Borussia Dortmund out to end losing home record against Juventus
Goals haven't come easy for Borussia Dortmund lately, and wins over Juventus at home are ever rarer.

Berlin: Goals haven't come easy for Borussia Dortmund lately, and wins over Juventus at home are ever rarer.

The German team hosts Juventus on Wednesday in the Champions League trailing 2-1 from the first leg. If Dortmund can win 1-0, the 2013 finalists will advance to the quarter-finals on away goals. But Juventus has won all three European matches it has played in Dortmund.

Here are some things to know ahead of Wednesday's match:

Close Call

Dortmund hasn't scored in its last two Bundesliga games and will be out of the Champions League if the trend continues against Juventus.

However, Marco Reus' away goal in the first leg gives the team hope. One more would be enough - as long as none are conceded at the other end. Dortmund hasn't conceded any goals in four games since Alvaro Morata clinched Juventus' victory in the first leg.

The visitors will be without 35-year-old midfield maestro Andrea Pirlo because of a calf injury sustained in the first leg.

Juve Flying High

Juventus heads into the match after grinding out a 1-0 win at Palermo on Saturday to extend its advantage at the top of the league to 14 points.

With Juventus far ahead of Roma, coach Massimiliano Allegri had the luxury of resting players such as Patrice Evra, Arturo Vidal and Morata - though the latter two came on in the second half, with Morata scoring the winner.

With a fourth straight Serie A title all but guaranteed and an Italian Cup semi-final match coming up, Juventus is aiming for a prestigious treble - but the Champions League trophy is the one that that fans are longing for.

No sitting back

Despite his side's one-goal lead, Allegri believes Juventus needs to score to get through. He also wants his side to deliver an improvement in performance to ensure progress.

"In Dortmund we need to perform better from a technical standpoint," Allegri said. "It will be difficult but we've got a good chance of going through. We know all about Borussia's qualities. It's a game in which we need to score, perhaps more than once, so we need to play on the front foot and perhaps also have a slice of luck."

Dortmund still dangerous

Dortmund's relegation worries seem to be a thing of the past.

The 2011 and 2012 league champions experienced their worst ever start to the Bundesliga and were in last place in February, but 14 points from a possible 18 have propelled the side to 10th. The team hasn't impressed in the last two games, however, both scoreless draws.

The Champions League has provided refuge from domestic travails, especially at home - Dortmund has won 11 its last 14 Champions League games at the Westfalenstadion.

"It's a special venue which demands special moments. It's really the coolest thing about the club. I have been here a while now, and still every time you enter the ground you get goosebumps," Dortmund coach Juergen Klopp told the Champions League website.

Meanwhile, Juventus will draw inspiration from Italy's memorable victory over Germany in the 2006 World Cup at the same stadium. The Italians have progressed 31 times out of 39 after winning the first leg at home.

Crowning Achievement

Dortmund's greatest triumph was the 1997 Champions League final victory over Juventus in Munich - at a time when the Italian side boasted greats such as Zinedine Zidane, Didier Deschamps and Alessandro del Piero.

The club came close to repeating that success in 2013, only to be denied in London by Bayern Munich and a late goal from Arjen Robben.

The Champions League seems to bring out the best in Dortmund, with fewer sides sitting back to defend with every player, offering Klopp's players more space to launch fast breaks forward.

Despite Allegri's assurances of needing more goals, the Italian will want to avoid offering the hosts' too much space.

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