Borussia Dortmund vs Villarreal - prediction, team news, lineups

Bundesliga giants Borussia Dortmund volition footwear disconnected their 2026-27 Champions League campaign connected Tuesday, erstwhile they invited La Liga's Villarreal to Signal Iduna Park for their archetypal league-phase clash.

BVB could marque it 4 wins connected the bounce successful midweek, portion the Yellow Submarine are looking for their archetypal triumph of the season.

Match preview

Niko Kovac's Dortmund travel into this showdown successful fantabulous form, and thing different than triumph volition beryllium seen arsenic a nonaccomplishment for the Black and Yellow.

Following their 2-1 beating by Der Klassiker rivals Bayern Munich successful the German Super Cup, BVB person recorded 3 consecutive wins, including a 3-2 occurrence implicit Hoffenheim connected Saturday.

That beardown commencement to the play volition capable Kovac's broadside with confidence, arsenic they acceptable retired connected their continental journey, hoping to amended their decorativeness successful the Champions League's knockout circular playoffs successful 2025-26.

Dortmund volition besides beryllium buoyed by facing a acquainted hostile connected Tuesday, recalling memories of thrashing Villarreal 4-0 successful November 2025 connected their mode to progressing from past term's league phase.

Six of the starting XI from that time person made the predicted lineup for this clash astatine Signal Iduna Park, wherever the hosts person won 3 of their past 4 competitory outings, scoring 10 goals and keeping 2 cleanable sheets successful the process.

Meanwhile, Villarreal replaced Marcelino with Inigo Perez successful the summer, and the caller manager is acceptable to look different stern trial during what has been a hard commencement to beingness successful the La Liga side's dugout.

The Yellow Submarine person failed to triumph immoderate of their 4 matches truthful acold this season, kicking disconnected with back-to-back draws earlier losing each of their past 2 fixtures.

Most recently, Perez's men were beaten 3-2 by Deportivo La Coruna successful the Spanish apical flight, a effect made much concerning by the information the nine surrendered the pb Nicolas Pepe had earned them with conscionable 19 minutes connected the clock.

Turning their attraction to Tuesday's clash, Villarreal fans volition beryllium fearing the worst considering that Dortmund volition arguably correspond the team's toughest hostile of 2026-27 to date.

Additionally, fixed that the Yellow Submarine are besides acceptable to look Napoli, Liverpool and Paris Saint-Germain successful the Champions League, walking distant bare handed successful midweek volition marque it exceedingly challenging to amended connected their 35th-place decorativeness from past season's league phase.

Borussia Dortmund signifier (all competitions):

Villarreal signifier (all competitions):

Team News

Dortmund person an extended database of absentees to contend with for their Champions League opener, particularly successful defence, wherever they are missing centre-backs Ramy Bensebaini (suspension), Nico Schlotterbeck (ankle and suspension), and Emre Can (ACL), while Filippo Mane (muscle) is simply a doubt.

With that successful mind, Kovac could opt for a three-man defence featuring Joane Gadou, Waldemar Anton and the versatile Daniel Svensson, flanking the trio with Julian Ryerson and Maximilian Beier astatine wing-back.

BVB are besides lighter successful midfield than ideal, fixed that each 3 of Justin Lerma (muscle), Giannis Konstantelias (ACL), and 17-year-old Mussa Kaba are sidelined done injury.

However, Jobe Bellingham and Felix Nmecha should beryllium connected manus to commencement successful the centre of the park, conscionable down the much attack-minded Konstantinos Karetsas and Marcel Sabitzer.

As for Villarreal, they are missing talismanic centre-back Juan Foyth owed to a musculus injury, though manager Perez has indicated that the defender volition not beryllium retired for long, and that helium 'is progressing well'.

While the 28-year-old recovers, Logan Costa and Renato Veiga whitethorn run astatine the bosom of the visitors' backline, with Santiago Mourino and Carlos Romero either broadside arsenic full-backs.

Borussia Dortmund imaginable starting lineup:

Kobel; Gadou, Anton, Svensson; Ryerson, Nmecha, Bellingham, Beier; Karetsas, Sabitzer; Guirassy

Villarreal imaginable starting lineup:

Junior; Mourino, Costa, Veiga, Romero; Pepe, Gueye, Comesana, Buchanan; Mikautadze, Moreno  

We say: Borussia Dortmund 3-1 Villarreal

Dortmund caput into this crippled afloat of assurance aft signaling 3 wins connected the bounce prior, not to notation their emphatic 4-0 triumph implicit Villarreal backmost successful November.

By contrast, the Yellow Submarine person endured a hard opening to the campaign, and are apt to widen their winless commencement to 5 matches.

For information investigation of the astir apt results, scorelines and much for this lucifer delight click here.