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UCL: Haaland urges Dortmund to shake off Bundesliga poor run

Borussia Dortmund go into Wednesday’s Champions League last 16, first-leg tie at Sevilla with star striker Erling Braut Haaland urging his teammates to shake off their Bundesliga blues or risk a heavy defeat in Spain.

“We just have to stick to the match plan and try to perform,” Haaland told Sky Sports.

“Sevilla are a strong team. We just have to find our form again and do our best on the pitch to have a chance.

“If we play like we did in the last few games, we have no chance,” Haaland warned with Dortmund having won just three of their last eight games in all competitions.

The Norwegian striker netted six goals in Dortmund’s first four group games before sitting out the last two European games with injury.

Dortmund’s fortunes have nosedived since Axel Witsel’s strike sealed a 2-1 win at Zenit St Petersburg last December to confirm the Germans as winners of their Champions League group.

Joy at reaching the last 16 was dampened four days later when Dortmund’s defensive weaknesses were brutally exposed in a 5-1 thrashing at home to Stuttgart.

Lucien Favre was sacked as head coach the following day.

His assistant, the 38-year-old Edin Terzic, was promoted to interim coach until the end of the season, but results have not improved of late.

On Monday, it was announced that Borussia Moenchengladbach’s highly sought-after coach Marco Rose will take charge at Dortmund next season.

The 44-year-old will be tasked with re-establishing Dortmund as the second power in German football behind Bayern Munich.

Dortmund have picked up only 14 league points from a possible 30 since Terzic replaced Favre.

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It took a late Haaland goal, his 23rd in as many games this season, to avert defeat in a 2-2 draw at mid-table Hoffenheim last Saturday.

The result left Dortmund sixth in the Bundesliga table and they are now 16 points behind leaders Bayern Munich. It took another Haaland goal for Dortmund to beat second-division Paderborn 3-2 after extra time in the last 16 of the German Cup earlier this month.

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