Coach Niko Kovac said the team wants to translate their current Bundesliga form into the Champions League knockout tie. Dortmund have won six straight league games but have gone three matches without a win in Europe, and four centre‑backs are sidelined – Emre Can, Filippo Mane, Niklas Süle and Nico Schlotterbeck.
Atalanta finished the league phase in 15th place, two spots ahead of Dortmund, and beat Frankfurt 3‑0 in their last Champions League group match. Kovac warned the tie would be intense and said he would decide the lineup by 9 p.m. CET on Tuesday.