The tie hangs in the balance following a 1-1 draw in the first leg in the Netherlands, with Luuk de Jong's penalty for PSV canceling out Donyell Malen's early goal, who incidentally used to play for PSV. Dortmund faced a setback in the Bundesliga, losing 3-2 at home to Hoffenheim shortly after the first leg, but they've since recovered with back-to-back wins on the road against Union Berlin and Werder Bremen.
Dortmund's recent victory over Bremen saw goals from Malen and Jadon Sancho, with the latter scoring his first goal since returning on loan from Manchester United. Despite a red card to Marcel Sabitzer, Dortmund managed to hold on for the win and maintain their fourth position in the Bundesliga standings.
Now, Edin Terzic's squad shifts their focus to their sixth Champions League knockout campaign in eight seasons. Their track record suggests they have a good chance of progressing, especially considering their history of advancing when avoiding defeat in an away first leg.
While Dortmund's form at Westfalenstadion has been somewhat inconsistent lately, their unbeaten streak in Champions League home games provides optimism for the upcoming clash against PSV. On the other hand, PSV has been in good form domestically, maintaining a strong lead in the Eredivisie.
However, their record in Germany hasn't been promising, with PSV failing to win any of their last 16 visits, losing 13 times. Despite this, they did manage a draw on their previous visit to Dortmund in 2002. With their recent strong away form in the Eredivisie, PSV remains hopeful of securing a spot in the Champions League quarter-finals for the first time since 2006-07.
INJURIES & SUSPENSION
Borussia Dortmund has a few injury concerns heading into the match, with attackers Sebastien Haller and Samuel Bamba still recovering from ankle and muscle issues respectively.However, there's positive news as Felix Nmecha has recovered from a hip injury and might start on Wednesday, potentially replacing either Sabitzer or Emre Can in midfield.
In defense, Mats Hummels could come in for Niklas Sule to partner Nico Schlotterbeck at the center. Upfront, Karim Adeyemi and Marco Reus are competing with Jadon Sancho and Julian Brandt for starting spots alongside Donyell Malen, who made history in the first leg by becoming the first Dutch player to score against a Dutch team in the Champions League knockout stages.
For PSV, Noa Lang is sidelined with a hamstring injury, while Joey Veerman and Ismael Saibari are doubtful due to muscle issues. Guus Til, Mauro Junior, and Malik Tillman are midfield options if Veerman and Saibari can't play.
Johan Bakayoko, who was rested recently, may join Hirving Lozano and top scorer Luuk de Jong in attack if Tillman doesn't start. De Jong has been in fine form, contributing seven goals and four assists in his last eight outings.
POSSIBLE LINE-UPS
Borussia Dortmund possible starting lineup:Kobel; Ryerson, Hummels, Schlotterbeck, Maatsen; Sabitzer, Can; Malen, Brandt, Adeyemi; Fullkrug
PSV Eindhoven possible starting lineup:
Benitez; Teze, Obispo, Boscagli, Dest; Schouten, Til, Junior; Bakayoko, De Jong, Lozano
EXPERT PREDICTION
Borussia Dortmund 1-1 PSV Eindhoven
Although PSV might be considered slight underdogs as they travel to Germany, they won't be underestimated by Dortmund. The Dutch side has the potential to challenge their Bundesliga opponents all the way, possibly even beyond the regular 90 minutes. However, we predict that Dortmund will manage to clinch victory, especially with the support of their passionate home crowd.
