Borussia Dortmund will look to make it four wins in a row in the new season when they host Villarreal in their opening UEFA Champions League fixture on Tuesday at the Signal Iduna Park.
Borussia Dortmund vs Villarreal – Match preview and team news
- Date: Tuesday, 8th September.
- Kick-off: 8pm BST.
- Venue: Signal Iduna Park, Dortmund.
Borussia Dortmund team news
Borussia Dortmund manager Niko Kovač faces a significant defensive crisis ahead of this opening fixture, with several key players ruled out.
Young centre-back Filippo Mané is sidelined after sustaining a thigh injury during the weekend’s 3-2 victory over Hoffenheim.
The backline is further depleted by crucial suspensions, as Ramy Bensebaini carries over a red card from last season and Nico Schlotterbeck serves a ban while recovering from an ankle injury.
Additionally, club captain Emre Can and summer signing Giannis Konstantelias remain long-term absentees due to serious knee and ACL injuries, while Justin Lerma is out with a muscle issue.
On a positive note, Daniel Svensson and Konstantinos Karetsas are fully fit and available despite sitting out Monday’s training session for workload management.
Waldemar Anton is expected to anchor a makeshift three-man defense in front of goalkeeper Gregor Kobel.
Villarreal team news
Villarreal manager Íñigo Pérez travels to Germany with a much cleaner bill of health, though he must navigate the absence of a vital defensive pillar.
Argentine defender Juan Foyth has been officially ruled out of the clash as he continues to recover from an ongoing muscle injury.
Left-back Carlos Romero is also a major doubt for the matchday squad after experiencing severe physical discomfort that forced him to miss the weekend’s domestic defeat against Deportivo La Coruña.
Aside from these defensive concerns, the Yellow Submarine boasts a heavily armed squad. Highly rated goalkeeper Luiz Júnior is set to start behind a central defensive pairing of Logan Costa and Renato Veiga.
Offensively, Villarreal will rely on the potent attacking duo of veteran talisman Gerard Moreno and Georges Mikautadze to exploit Dortmund’s depleted and experimental defensive line.
Form
Borussia Dortmund
Borussia Dortmund enters this clash in excellent form, riding a three-match winning streak. Domestically, they have quickly found their rhythm under Niko Kovač, bouncing back from an early German Supercup defeat. They recorded a clean 2-0 victory over Hamburger SV, cruised through the DFB-Pokal with a 5-0 win, and most recently showcased their resilience with a thrilling 3-2 comeback against Hoffenheim. Their frontline is highly potent, having scored 16 goals across their last six fixtures.
Villarreal
Villarreal is enduring a difficult start to their campaign, remaining completely winless after their opening four domestic fixtures.
Under new manager Íñigo Pérez, the “Yellow Submarine” started the La Liga season with two consecutive draws but has since suffered back-to-back defeats.
Their defensive vulnerabilities were fully exposed during the weekend in a chaotic 3-2 home loss to newly-promoted Deportivo La Coruña, raising major concerns ahead of a demanding European away trip.
Predicted lineups
Borussia Dortmund: Kobel; Gadou, Anton, Svensson; Ryerson, Nmecha, Bellingham, Beier; Karetsas, Sabitzer; Guirassy
Villarreal: Junior; Mourino, Costa, Veiga, Romero; Pepe, Gueye, Comesana, Buchanan; Mikautadze, Moreno
How to watch Borussia Dortmund vs Villarreal
You can watch the Borussia Dortmund vs. Villarreal match live in the UK on TNT Sports 2.
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