Dortmund Hope Champions League Bout Can Turn Around Early Season Slump

After six rounds in the Bundesliga, Borussia Dortmund is sitting on a measly seven points. The team is hoping to get their season back on track with a win in the Champions League on Wednesday night against Anderlecht.

Borussia Dortmund travel to the Belgian capital Brussels on Wednesday to play Anderlecht in what is a crucial chance for the German club to regain some form.



Despite winning their first Champions League encounter against Arsenal in fine style mid-September, Dortmund have been struggling in the Bundesliga. They are currently sitting in 12th position with just seven points having conceded six goals in their last three games.



"We want to start our comeback on Wednesday in Anderlecht," said Dortmund captain Mats Hummels ahead of the match.



"We need to get some results," added BVB coach Jürgen Klopp, admitting that he expects to see a reaction from his team after they lost their Bundesliga derby showdown with local rivals Schalke on the weekend. "We have to play with more concentration and commitment, and we have to be more effective."



Dortmund are still missing key attacking players like Marco Reus and midfielder Henrikh Mkhitaryan due to injury. But, the team will be strengthened by the return of former captain Sebastian Kehl for the game.



Belgian champions Anderlecht also have their own injury worries: Belgian international Anthony Vanden Borre is still absent with a fractured fibula, and fellow defender Fabrice N'Sakala is out with a knee injury.



Leverkusen host Benfica



Elsewhere on Wednesday night, the Bundesliga's current third placed team, Bayer Leverkusen, will host Portuguese club Benfica.



The German side is still smarting after their 1-0 loss to AS Monaco in their first Champions League group stage game. The result came right in the middle of a purple patch of form for Leverkusen, who electrified the Bundesliga with some entertaining, goal-scoring football at the start of the season.



"Of course we are under pressure after the loss in the first game," said Leverkusen's sports director Rudi Völler.



"In the group phase of the Champions League basically every game is like a final anyway," he said.



DW will have live coverage of both games online at www.dw.de/sports, from 18: 30 UTC on Wednesday (01.10.2014).



al/mz (AP, SID)