Iker Casillas: Porto can overturn first-leg loss against Borussia Dortmund

24 February 2016 14:53

Goalkeeper Iker Casillas is refusing to give up on the Europa League as Porto face a daunting task to deny Borussia Dortmund a place in the last 16.

The German side head for the Estadio do Dragao on Thursday evening holding a 2-0 lead from last week's first leg and knowing an extension of their seven-game unbeaten run in all competitions will take them through.

However, 34-year-old Casillas is hoping home advantage can spark an "epic turnaround" in the tie for a club which started out the campaign in the Champions League.

He said on his official website, www.ikercasillasworld.com: "This is an exciting week that's starting with a difficult and decisive match for us to remain in Europe.

"We are going to keep pushing ourselves and work hard to win and I'm confident that, with the ever-present support of the fans, we can do it. We are Porto.

"We are facing Borussia Dortmund after we complicated our mission in Germany, as we lost 2-0 at Westfalenstadion. But now we are playing at home at the Estadio do Dragao with our people, and we are going to try for an epic turnaround in a difficult - extremely difficult - match.

"We just won important matches against Moreirense and Benfica, and we want to continue this good momentum."

Coach Jose Peseiro will be boosted by the return of defender Maxi Pereira and midfielder Danilo Pereira, who both missed the game in Germany through suspension.

Dortmund will arrive in Portugal confident of securing their passage after goals from Lukasz Piszczek and Marco Reus at the Westfalenstadion left them in the driving seat.

The Bundesliga outfit, who are bidding to become just the fifth club to win the Champions League, the Europa League and the European Cup Winners' Cup, will be able to call upon midfielder Ilkay Gundogan after he missed the first game through illness.

However Greece international defender Sokratis Papastathopoulos will sit out with an adductor muscle tear which is set to sideline him for several weeks.

Source: PA