Borussia Dortmund change their face in Champions League: Buffon

Gianluigi Buffon 

Geneva, Dec 16 (IANS) Juventus goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon said Dortmund will change their face when they play in the UEFA Champions League football tournament after the two teams were drawn to take on each other in the round of 16 in the elite continental competition.

"I'm happy because in the last few days I was saying that I wanted Dortmund. Not because I think they are weaker than other opponents but because I think they are the right kind of test for us to understand how far we have come and where we can improve," Buffon, also captain of the Italian Serie A team, was quoted as saying by Xinhua.

The Italian team will take on the Bundesliga strugglers for the first time since the 1996/97 final.

"Dortmund change their face when they play in the Champions League, they perform at a higher level than they do in the Bundesliga - probably because their players are more motivated. Ciro Immobile gave us problems when he was at Torino and I'm sure he'll do the same with Dortmund," he added.

Dortmund beat Juventus 3-1 in the 1997 Champions League final in Munich, Karl-Heinz Riedle scoring twice in the first half and substitute Lars Ricken adding a clinching third, seconds after his introduction as Alessandro Del Piero halved the Juve deficit.