Borussia Dortmund defender Felipe Santana believes the German champions can dream of lifting the Uefa Champions League this season after emerging as winners of the ‘group of death’ and without losing a game.
Santana, 26, who joined Dortmund in 2008 from Figueirense, starred in Tuesday nights 1-0 victory over Manchester City at the Westfalenstadion, and is delighted with his team’s performances on Europe’s biggest stage.
“It was great to finish the first phase of the Champions League unbeaten,” the defender told Lancenet! after the game.
“We fall in the toughest group of the first phase and this campaign we are doing almost perfect, even with all the difficulties, which clearly shows the strength of our team. We have the ability to fight for the title.
“We played a great game against City and could even have won by a larger score. Our crowd was instrumental again. They have given a real show in the stands at every game.
“Now let’s focus a bit more again in German Championship. We want to reduce the advantage of Bayer Munich and go in search of a third championship in a row.”
While Jurgen Klopp’s men are highly rated around Europe, it was predicted that a group that also contained Real Madrid, champions of Spain, Manchester City, champions of England, and Ajax, champions of the Netherlands, that it would be Jose Mourinho and Roberto Mancini’s much more experienced and expensive sides that would go through.
However, Dortmund’s triumph has put them firmly on the map and are now serious contenders for the final to be held in May at Wembley.
