Marco Reus: "Klopp always has a plan"

Marco Reushas gone from breakout player to global superstar in less than a year, and he threatens to cause another upset at the Bernabéu. Last season, he put the ball past Casillas in the group stage and had the Real defenders tearing their hair out in the semi-finals.

The Dortmund striker needs to do Lewandowski's job. "I'm ready to be the number 9," he says. And he means it. He scored a spectacular hat-trick against Stuttgart the other day.

Another Champions League tie against Real. I imagine it's impossible to forget about last year.

It still makes my hair stand on end when I think about it. It was very exciting. Despite the last 10 minutes, I think we deserved to go through to the final. It was a fantastic tie and the spring of 2013 was a unique time for all of us. It was a shame we couldn't finish off the season with the Champions League, but in general it was unforgettable.

Do you think that the clashes with Real were special for you?

Matches against Real are always a showcase... And for me they certainly were. Playing against Real is spectacular. I love the Champions League games. It's a competition I really enjoy, especially because we play against top level teams who don't defend with 11 men behind the ball.

This year you get to play at number 9 at the Bernabéu. How do you feel in that position?

I like playing as a 9! But there are other players in the team who can play there as well. We'll see who the coach decides on to replace Robert... ButKloppalways has a plan in the works!"

Will it be tougher to beat Real this season?

Real have added a lot of quality to their squad this year, especially with the signing of Gareth Bale. But our team has changed too, with quality signings such as Mkhitaryan, Aubameyang and Sokratis. It will be their first time at the Bernabéu and they are really motivated, as are the rest of us.

We need to forget what happened last year. I think these two games will be very different from the ones last season. We have to stay really focussed and get a good result.

Who are the favourites for the tie?

Real. And for the Champions League, I think Bayern, Barça and Real are the strongest. There might be a surprise team, and that could be us, like last year. We are a team with a very strong winning mentality.