Champions League dream alive for Lewandowski

Borussia Dortmund striker Robert Lewandowski has refused to give up hope on making the semi-finals of the UEFA Champions League.

Jurgen Klopp’s men will begin the second leg of their last-eight tie against Real Madrid on Tuesday with a three-goal deficit, having been soundly beaten in Spain.

Lewandowski was suspended for last week’s meeting but has positive memories of playing Real – having scored four times in the first leg of Dortmund’s semi-final triumph last year.

The Poland international, who will join European champions Bayern Munich at the end of the season, acknowledges a repeat performance is unlikely, but insists Dortmund will do all they can to spring a surprise at Signal Iduna Park.

“Last year things were a bit different. If people think I could score four goals again, that is a bit crazy,” he said.

“But we still have a minimal chance. We are playing in Dortmund and we are dangerous here.

“We want to give everything and play for 90 to 95 minutes.”

Dortmund have a host of players absent through injury, including Neven Subotic, Marcel Schmelzer, Jakub Blaszczykowski, Ilkay Gundogan and Sven Bender, but Lewandowski has warned Real they will not face an easy task.

“Madrid are in top form (and) last year, we were a different side,” he added.

“We have many injured players – but also lots of other good players and we still have lots of potential.”