Borussia Dortmund coach Nuri Sahin believes Dinamo Zagreb pose a serious threat in Wednesday's Champions League clash. (More Football News)
He noted their impressive turnaround, going undefeated in their last three matches (W2 D1) after starting with a heavy loss to Bayern Munich.
Dortmund are seventh and in the top section of the Champions League table after three wins, while the Croatian capital club are currently eighteenth and in the play-off section, with seven points from four matches.
Dinamo's most memorable outing came in the form of a 9-2 thrashing by Bayern on the opening matchday. However, Sahin acknowledged the quality in Nenad Bjelica's side.
"We’ve watched a lot of Dinamo’s matches. They’ve impressively earned seven points. You can see the coach’s influence — it’s a team that reflects his ideas. They have some strong players and big names," Sahin told a press conference on Tuesday.
"We don't want to stray from our idea. We want to control the ball and play football. But we’re ready."
Despite Niklas Sule and Karim Adeyemi staying in Dortmund to recover from injuries, Sahin confirmed that Emre Can and Serhou Guirassy had travelled with the team ahead of the clash.
"Emre wasn’t able to fully participate in today’s session. But Serhou trained well," Sahin said, adding that both were options for the match.
Dortmund have never previously faced a Croatian side in any European competition. It’s the first time they will face a new nation in Europe since facing Cypriot side APOEL Nicosia in October 2017 and drawing 1-1.
Dinamo, on the other hand, have lost their last seven games against German opposition, scoring six goals while conceding 25 in all European competitions.
The game will be held at Stadion Maksimir, famed for its intense atmosphere. Sahin, however, insisted his team are unfazed.
"I don’t think it will shock the players. Our squad operates at the highest level. They’ve seen and experienced a lot," he said, adding that Dortmund also boast a unique atmosphere, including the "Yellow Wall" of fans in the southern stand.
"What happens in the stands doesn’t matter much. The players enjoy it."
