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Dortmund coach Jurgen Klopp tells fans not to take out their anger on Mario Gotze after news he will join rivals
Borussia Dortmund have pleaded with supporters to "leave all the negative emotions at home" as they prepare for their Champions League semi-final against a backdrop of fury following the impending departure of star player Mario Gotze.
Pleading with fans: Borussia Dortmund coach Jurgen Klopp has begged fans not to take out their anger on star player Mario Gotze following news of his departure Photo: GETTY IMAGES
By John Percy
6:59PM BST 23 Apr 2013
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Dortmund coach Jurgen Klopp has been forced into making an impassioned request for fans to spare Gotze a hostile reception after it was revealed he will join bitter rivals Bayern Munich in a £32 million deal at the end of the season.
Gotze will become new Bayern manager Pep Guardiola's first signing in the summer and Dortmund are reeling at the timing of the announcement, with police even understood to have attended the club's training session on Tuesday afternoon as the levels of mutiny threatened to boil over.
The deal ensures Gotze will become the most expensive German signing in history and the midfielder's official Facebook page has already been besieged with aggressive messages from fans while Lothar Matthaus, who won seven
Bundesliga titles with Bayern, claimed they had every right to "feel betrayed".
Klopp is battling to ease the growing tension ahead of the first leg against Jose Mourinho's team, with Dortmund set for arguably their most vital game in almost a century, and he has urged fans not to abuse a player who could play a pivotal role in helping the club reach the final.
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"I've spoken to Mario," he said. "Mario has not taken this decision to spite his team-mates in the slightest. He has not decided to spite the club - he has too much to thank them for.
"He is the player Pep Guardiola really wanted. He didn't want to pass up on the chance to work together with this extraordinary coach. I can't shorten myself by 15 centimetres and start learning Spanish.
"Let's have a great night tomorrow. Leave all the negative emotions at home, come to the stadium, and let's beat Real Madrid.
"We will do all we can to ensure our concentration is not disturbed. When you deal with things in life in the right way, then you can draw energy from them.
"We have the chance to show that we can deal with this extraordinarily well. We have the chance to show we can go on despite this blow. And I think we should take it."
Gotze, 20, has emerged as one of Germany's most highly-regarded young talents since making his debut in November 2009 and Bayern are believed to have moved quickly to head off competition from Manchester City and Arsenal.
Dortmund's release clause of 37 million euros was met by Bayern earlier this month and he could even face his new team in the Champions League final at Wembley in May if he can help the German club overcome Mourinho.
Frustration over his exit among supporters have only increased after he was quoted earlier this month claiming he was happy to stay with last season's Bundesliga champions.
Bayern, who secured the title on April 6th with six games to spare, claimed they had kept quiet "out of consideration" for Dortmund's clash with Madrid at the Westfalenstadion, but the grim news is threatening to overshadow their attempts to extend their unbeaten record in this season's competition.
Mourinho has already encountered Klopp in the group stages and is yet to win - Dortmund beat Madrid 2-1 at home in the group stage, and claimed a 2-2 draw away before topping Group D.
And Mourinho, who is expected to leave Madrid at the end of the season - possibly for a return to Chelsea - has admitted winning the Champions League is his only priority. He has already won Europe's elite competition with Porto and Inter Milan and is keen to secure a third, in England's national stadium.
"Madrid are one of those clubs where finishing second counts for nothing. So we have to reach the final and then win that," he said.
"The team has great players who give everything they have and also deserve to win this competition. With a few exceptions, none of them have won this competition so far and I wish it for my team that they can win the Champions League, as they deserve to do so."
Mourinho took the surprising step of virtually naming his starting XI more than 24 hours before the first leg, opting for an attacking line-up. Luka Modric, Karim Benzema and Marcelo are facing a race against time to be fit after picking up injuries in Madrid's 3-1 win over Real Betis on Saturday.
Gotze should play for Dortmund, while striker Robert Lewandowski - who has scored in 12 consecutive league games - will attempt to enhance his own reputation.
Dortmund (probable): Weidenfeller, Subotic, Hummels, Schmelzer, Guendogan, Sahin; Blaszczykowski, Goetze, Reus; Lewandowski
Madrid (probable): Lopez, Ramos, Pepe, Varane, Coentrao, Khedira, Alonso, Ozil, Di Maria, Ronaldo, Higuain.
Borussia Dortmund have pleaded with supporters to "leave all the negative emotions at home" as they prepare for their Champions League semi-final against a backdrop of fury following the impending departure of star player Mario Gotze.
Pleading with fans: Borussia Dortmund coach Jurgen Klopp has begged fans not to take out their anger on star player Mario Gotze following news of his departure Photo: GETTY IMAGES By John Percy
6:59PM BST 23 Apr 2013
Comment Dortmund coach Jurgen Klopp has been forced into making an impassioned request for fans to spare Gotze a hostile reception after it was revealed he will join bitter rivals Bayern Munich in a £32 million deal at the end of the season.
Gotze will become new Bayern manager Pep Guardiola's first signing in the summer and Dortmund are reeling at the timing of the announcement, with police even understood to have attended the club's training session on Tuesday afternoon as the levels of mutiny threatened to boil over.
The deal ensures Gotze will become the most expensive German signing in history and the midfielder's official Facebook page has already been besieged with aggressive messages from fans while Lothar Matthaus, who won seven
Bundesliga titles with Bayern, claimed they had every right to "feel betrayed".
Klopp is battling to ease the growing tension ahead of the first leg against Jose Mourinho's team, with Dortmund set for arguably their most vital game in almost a century, and he has urged fans not to abuse a player who could play a pivotal role in helping the club reach the final.
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"I've spoken to Mario," he said. "Mario has not taken this decision to spite his team-mates in the slightest. He has not decided to spite the club - he has too much to thank them for.
"He is the player Pep Guardiola really wanted. He didn't want to pass up on the chance to work together with this extraordinary coach. I can't shorten myself by 15 centimetres and start learning Spanish.
"Let's have a great night tomorrow. Leave all the negative emotions at home, come to the stadium, and let's beat Real Madrid.
"We will do all we can to ensure our concentration is not disturbed. When you deal with things in life in the right way, then you can draw energy from them.
"We have the chance to show that we can deal with this extraordinarily well. We have the chance to show we can go on despite this blow. And I think we should take it."
Gotze, 20, has emerged as one of Germany's most highly-regarded young talents since making his debut in November 2009 and Bayern are believed to have moved quickly to head off competition from Manchester City and Arsenal.
Dortmund's release clause of 37 million euros was met by Bayern earlier this month and he could even face his new team in the Champions League final at Wembley in May if he can help the German club overcome Mourinho.
Frustration over his exit among supporters have only increased after he was quoted earlier this month claiming he was happy to stay with last season's Bundesliga champions.
Bayern, who secured the title on April 6th with six games to spare, claimed they had kept quiet "out of consideration" for Dortmund's clash with Madrid at the Westfalenstadion, but the grim news is threatening to overshadow their attempts to extend their unbeaten record in this season's competition.
Mourinho has already encountered Klopp in the group stages and is yet to win - Dortmund beat Madrid 2-1 at home in the group stage, and claimed a 2-2 draw away before topping Group D.
And Mourinho, who is expected to leave Madrid at the end of the season - possibly for a return to Chelsea - has admitted winning the Champions League is his only priority. He has already won Europe's elite competition with Porto and Inter Milan and is keen to secure a third, in England's national stadium.
"Madrid are one of those clubs where finishing second counts for nothing. So we have to reach the final and then win that," he said.
"The team has great players who give everything they have and also deserve to win this competition. With a few exceptions, none of them have won this competition so far and I wish it for my team that they can win the Champions League, as they deserve to do so."
Mourinho took the surprising step of virtually naming his starting XI more than 24 hours before the first leg, opting for an attacking line-up. Luka Modric, Karim Benzema and Marcelo are facing a race against time to be fit after picking up injuries in Madrid's 3-1 win over Real Betis on Saturday.
Gotze should play for Dortmund, while striker Robert Lewandowski - who has scored in 12 consecutive league games - will attempt to enhance his own reputation.
Dortmund (probable): Weidenfeller, Subotic, Hummels, Schmelzer, Guendogan, Sahin; Blaszczykowski, Goetze, Reus; Lewandowski
Madrid (probable): Lopez, Ramos, Pepe, Varane, Coentrao, Khedira, Alonso, Ozil, Di Maria, Ronaldo, Higuain.
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