In our latest Q&A session we sit down with Stefan Buczko of The Yellow Wall Pod which is part of the Football Collective network of team sites along with JuveFC.com. Stefan spoke to us about the upcoming Champions League match with Borussia Dortmund.

How do you see the tie – Can Dortmund progress past the last 16?

It’s hard to assess in what kind of shape Borussia Dortmund are in, as are yet to be tested by a big caliber side in 2015. Fact is, they are currently on the mend and they have fared well in the Champions League, otherwise they wouldn’t play against a team that came second in their group. Juventus are favourites for the tie, but if the black and yellows show their Champions League face, it’ll be a nail biter for both sets of fans. It’s unfortunate scheduling for Dortmund, that they play their big rivals FC Schalke in the game after and BVB fans will value a win more against their hated neighbours than in the Champions League, considering league points must be the priority. Then again it might be the last two times in a long time Borussia Dortmund will hear the magic anthem before kick off and the players will probably give their all to add two more.

Where has it gone wrong for Dortmund in the Bundesliga ? What would you highlight as the main problem ?

A lot of things must come together for such a great team to plummet all the way down, so it’s hard to single one factor out. It’s a mix of poor fitness levels after a insufficient preseason, injuries, loss of confidence combined with misfortune and a lack of cleverness. Comical individual errors at the back and atrocious finishing upfront was Dortmund’s undoing in a lot of games, where they were not the weaker team, but the sheer opposite from efficiency.

How do you rate ex-Juve striker, Ciro Immobile? What’s the fans opinion of him?

It’s Immobile’s first season at Dortmund and he found it hard to find his way into a struggling side. Too often he still looks disconnected from the rest of the team and harshly wasted a few sitters in the league. It’s probably not going as well as he had hoped, since Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is now running the show as BVB’s lone striker. The fans don’t feel too enthusiastic about the Italian striker yet, but he’s demonstrated from time to time – especially in the Champions League – that there is greatness in him. He might show it on a consistent level if he actually had the chance to do so – strikers only function with the trust of the coach and a few games in a row to find into their groove. Currently I wouldn’t expect him to start in Turin.

Which Juventus player do you fear the most ?

Apart from Pirlo’s free kicks, it has to be Paul Pogba. Dortmund defenders are very susceptible to players with a high amount of individual skill and the Frenchmen is generously blessed with talent.

Who is Dortmund’s key-player ?

Borussia Dortmund’s biggest strength is usually their collective, but Marco Reus is the difference maker upfront. He can produce the extra ordinary to tilt a close game into Dortmund’s favour.

What are your thoughts on the Juventus defence ?  How do you rate it?

It’s the best defense in Italy, bolstered with a lot of experience. I imagine it won’t be easy for Dortmund to create chances against them. Like most teams that are dominating their domestic league, Juve control most games in their opponent’s halves and thus make the distance to their own goal very long for their opponents. The whole team basically consists of players who have a strong physique and know how to make a tackle. I assume they have more tricks up their sleeve and more cheekiness than Dortmund do, but I haven’t watched enough Juve games to know for sure how their domestic prowess translate to Europe. In Italy they are probably seldomly confronted with a tenacious and relentless pressing like Dortmund’s and I can’t predict how the bianconeri will deal with it.

What do you think is Juve’s biggest weakness ?

Putting it into the context of the tie, it’s probably pace or the lack thereof at the back. I don’t know how offensively Allegri will set up his side, but if they will look to control the game, they will have to be on their toes. Once the likes of Marco Reus or Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang are unleashed it’s tough to contain them. Gigi Buffon better be quick off his line, or he might be in trouble.

Are pressing and counter attack still BVB’s strengths?

Yes, they are. While Borussia Dortmund struggle against sides, that sit back and don’t allow much space for counter attacks, they exhale against proactive sides. Their Champions League campaign has shown just that, as Arsenal, Galatasaray and Anderlecht all made the mistake to give Dortmund space to exploit. Teams in the Bundesliga have adapted to pressing and developed strategies to set up against it, a lot teams in Germany have copied Dortmund’s approach and thus are less prone to fall for it, but in Europe Dortmund can still use it as a weapon.

Is there an actual fear of relegation among the fans?

After winning the last two games, the fear of relegation has probably decreased among the fans. The trend is going in the right direction and it looks like there will be at least three worse teams than Dortmund this season, but the threat of relegation is still very much around. So far Dortmund hover just above the drop zone and will need to chip in few more performances before they are actually out of danger, but currently it looks like they will – but momentum can just as easily slip away, as it comes.

What worries you the most about facing Juventus?

Injuries. If Dortmund don’t make it into the next round, they at least can focus on the league then, but it would be horrible if another key player will pick an injury, because the black and yellows had enough trouble with injuries so far and really need to push on in the league. Especially ahead of the derby it would be catastrophic, if Jürgen Klopp had to shuffle around too much. The Dortmund coach finally found a working outfit, but come to think of it, he’ll have to rotate anyway. Forgive me, if I’m a bit panicky.