Inspired by their narrow 1-0 win over Sturm Graz in their previous match, the Bundesliga giants travel to Maksimir Stadium for Wednesday’s showdown with Dinamo Zagreb.
Although the hosts are unbeaten in their last four matches across all competitions, they face significant challenges. Historically, they have struggled against German teams, having lost 13 of their last 19 encounters, with just three wins and three draws to show for it.
When asked if Nuri Sahin’s team has what it takes to end a 27-year wait for a European title, the midfielder, who was part of the club’s only Champions League-winning side in the 1996-97 season, did not hesitate to express his thoughts.
"You can never say never but it is going to be tough when you look at the calibre of team playing in the competition this season especially a team like Real Madrid," Tanko told Flashscore.
"We have a very young team and maybe if they are kept together and maybe as from next season or more, they stand a chance to compete for the title.
"The manager is new and the team is very young – some of them have not played in the Champions League before.
"I don’t see them winning the Champions League this season because they need of lot of experience to do that and the other teams are stronger."
As it stands, Borussia Dortmund have secured three wins from their four matches so far, with their only defeat coming against Real Madrid in October.
BVB advanced to the knockout stages in four of the last five seasons, coming close to securing the European title in the 2023-24 campaign. They finished as runners-up, narrowly losing 2-0 to Los Blancos in the final.
Although they put up a strong fight against the Spaniards at Wembley Stadium in London, Dortmund's resistance was ultimately broken by late goals from Daniel Carvajal and Vinicius Jr.
How Dortmund can rule Europe again
Borussia Dortmund have an illustrious and competitive history in the Champions League, marked by their 1997 victory and continued relevance in European football.
While they haven’t consistently secured titles in recent years, their historical pedigree and consistent performances ensure their place among the top clubs in Europe.
The Signal Iduna Park giants have often fallen short of reaching the final, struggling against elite sides like Barcelona, Real Madrid, and Bayern Munich.
Tanko suggests that in order to stand a better chance of winning again: "There are a lot of good managers outside but Borussia Dortmund are a club who is close to their legends as well as believe in young managers like (Jurgen) Klopp and (Thomas) Tuchel.
"If they want to get back to highest level once again, they must hire experienced managers. When we won the Champions League, we were managed by an experienced manager in Ottmar Hitzfeld.
"Since then, we have been changing coaches every two years or yearly. Trust me, Dortmund have the quality players. Let’s hope the current manager would get somewhere."
The eight-time German champions have had an inconsistent season, and the former Ghana star highlighted the areas where the club needs to improve.
He added: "I will say almost all the positions because the matches are getting more and more. We have the Champions League, the German Cup as well the Bundesliga.
"And players still have national team assignments and international tournaments. They need more than two players in every position because almost every week, you play at least four matches.
"They need players like (Erling) Haaland, (Robert) Lewandowski and players with experience to get the job done."
