The German outfit under Lucien Favre will be pulling no punches against the MLS club, ahead of another game against Liverpool later this week
Borussia Dortmund will kick off their preparations for another tilt at Bundesliga success this week when they face MLS outfit Seattle Sounders in their first game of their pre-season tour of America.
Ahead of a tougher test against Champions League holders Liverpool this weekend, the German outfit will travel to the home of Washington’s premier football team to face the 2016 MLS Cup winners as they look to build upon last season’s title near-miss to kick onto greater things.
Dortmund will likely field a mixture of first-team experience and youth as coach Lucien Favre looks to experiment ahead of clashes with bigger and bolder opponents.
As for the Sounders, who currently lie second in the Western Conference, it gives boss Brian Schmetzer the chance to test his squad ahead of their run-in for the 2019 season.
| Game | Seattle Sounders vs Borussia Dortmund |
| Date | Thursday, July 18 / Wednesday, July 17 |
| Time | 3:30am BST / 10:30pm BST |
TV Channel, Live Stream & How To Watch
In the United States (US), the game is not available on either television or through streaming.
| US TV channel | Online stream |
|---|---|
| N/A | N/A |
In the United Kingdom (UK), the game is not available on either television or through streaming.
| UK TV channel | Online stream |
|---|---|
| N/A | N/A |
Squads & Team News
| Position | Seattle Sounders squad |
|---|---|
| Goalkeepers | Muse, Frei, Meredith |
| Defenders | Abdul-Salaam, Arreaga, Campbell, Jones, Kim, Leerdam, Marshall, Smith, Nouhou, Torres |
| Midfielders | Bwana, Delem, Leyva, Lodeiro, Rodriguez, Cristian Roldan, Alex Roldan, Shipp, Svenson, Wingo |
| Forwards | Dhillon, Morris, Ocampo-Chavez, Ruidiaz |
The hosts are missing forward Will Bruin thanks to a ruptured cruciate ligament but otherwise have virtually a full squad to choose from.
| Position | Borussia Dortmund squad |
|---|---|
| Goalkeepers | Burki, Eric Oelschlägel, Marwin Hitz |
| Defenders | Balerdi, Hummels, Guerreiro, Morey, Piszczek, Schulz, Toprak, Zagadou |
| Midfielders | Brandt, Larsen, Delaney, Gotze, Pherai, Raschl, Reus, Reyna, Sancho, Weigl, Witsel, Wolf |
| Forwards | Alcacer, Hazard, Philipp |
Dortmund will likely field new signings Mats Hummels and Julian Brandt following their arrival at the club, as well as some of their younger talents.
USMNT youngster Gio Reyna is in line to feature, after it appeared he may play no part in first-team action this season following his arrival.
Match Preview
With the 2019-20 campaign fast approaching, Borussia Dortmund are preparing to ramp up their pre-season with a trip to the United States that will see them tangle with Champions League holders Liverpool in Indiana.
First howeer, the Bundesliga outfit head to Washington state this week for a clash with local MLS side Seattle Sounders, with the former North American champions looking to leave a mark of their own ahead of their run-in in the Western Conference.
One of the most impressive sides in the division’s recent history, they finished runners-up in 2017, one year after lifting the MLS Cup themselves, and will be relishing the chance to go toe-to-toe with a European giant.
Dortmund will be puling no punches however, with Lucien Favre expected to field new superstars such as Mat Hummels and Julian Brandt with Jadon Sancho leading some up-and-coming youngsters as he experiments ahead of the new season.
England international Sancho, who has enjoyed a pair of breakout seasons with the club since switching from Manchester City, has spoken of his desire to prove that he is more than a teenage one-hit wonder.
“It’s crazy what’s happened because I’m still only 19 and things like that usually happen when you’re 23 or 24,” he stated.
“Now it’s about keeping that level, People are waiting for me to dip so they can say I’m a one-hit wonder. I just need to keep playing and hope I stay clear of injuries. I just have to keep working hard and helping the team. That’s the main thing.”
Their hosts though will be determined to give a good account of themselves, with their coach Brian Schmetzer having spoken about the desire to impress for supporters against a European giant.
“I want the guys who step on the field to make sure they’re focused on Dortmund because we obviously want to put on a performance,” he told their website. “Fans are paying money to watch us play. So, we need to make sure that the group that gets out there is prepared, organized and anxious to play.”
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