Villarreal will be looking for their first win in the Champions League when they hit the road to face Borussia Dortmund on Matchday 5.
Borussia Dortmund will be looking to return to winning ways in the UEFA Champions League when they host a struggling Villarreal outfit at Signal Iduna Park on Tuesday night.
The home team are 14th on the Champions League table with seven points in their four outings. After a run of two straight wins, the Black and Yellows suffered a massive blow at the hands of Manchester City in their last European outing.
The Bundesliga giants have not won any of their last three outings across competitions. They are heading into this one on the back of a disappointing 3-3 draw against VfB Stuttgart and will be hoping to claim all three points against Villarreal.
The visitors are 32nd on the table with just one point in their four outings. While they did manage an impressive 2-2 draw against Juventus on Matchday 2, the Yellow Submarine have suffered defeats at the hands of Tottenham, Manchester City, and most recently Pafos.
The defeat against the Cyprus club was a massive surprise, and they will certainly be eager to get their Champions League campaign back on track. While they have been in incredible form in the league, they certainly have a lot of catching up to do in Europe. The Hard Tackle takes a closer look at both teams and tries to predict the tactics they could deploy.
Team News & Tactics
Borussia Dortmund
The home team remains without the services of Niklas Sule and Ramy Bensebaini. Apart from the duo, everyone else should be available for selection. Borussia Dortmund will line up in a 3-4-2-1 formation, where Gregor Kobel will feature in goal.
The back three will be made up of Waldemar Anton, Emre Can, and Nico Schlotterbeck. The trio will receive significant support from wing-backs Julian Ryerson and Maximilian Beier. Meanwhile, Lukas Nmecha should partner with Jobe Bellingham in the centre of the park.
Karim Adeyemi and Carney Chukwuemeka will feature as the two attacking midfielders behind Serhou Guirassy, who will spearhead the Borussia Dortmund attack against Marseille at Signal Iduna Park on Tuesday.
Probable Lineup (3-4-2-1): Kobel; Anton, Can, Schlotterbeck; Ryerson, Nmecha, Bellingham, Beier; Adeyemi, Chukwuemeka; Guirassy
Villarreal
The visitors will be without the services of Manor Solomon, Willy Kambwala, and Pau Cabanes. Meanwhile, they do have a boost as Georges Mikautadze is back in the mix.
Villarreal will line up in a 4-4-2 formation, where Luiz Junior will be in goal. Pau Navarro and Alfonso Pedraza should be the full-backs, while Rafa Marin should partner Renato Veiga in the heart of the defence.
Tajon Buchanan and Alberto Moleiro will feature on the flanks in midfield. The duo will look to support the full-backs and join the attacking moves whenever possible. Meanwhile, Thomas Partey and Santi Comesaña will be the two central midfielders.
The central midfield duo will look to ensure Dortmund midfielders do not dominate the proceedings. In the final third, Gerard Moreno should start alongside Tani Oluwaseyi in the strike partnership.
Probable Lineup (4-4-2): Junior; Alfonso, Veiga, Marin, Navarro; Moleiro, Partey, Comesana, Buchanan; Oluwaseyi, Moreno
Key Stats
- Villarreal and Borussia Dortmund are all set to face each other for the first time in the UEFA Champions League.
- Borussia Dortmund have only lost two out of their last 14 UEFA Champions League home games against Spanish clubs.
- The Yellow Submarine have failed to win any of their last seven Champions League outings.
- Serhou Guirassy has bagged 10 goals in his last eight home games in the UEFA Champions League.
- Borussia Dortmund have only suffered one defeat in their last 19 UEFA Champions League home games.
Player to Watch
Serhou Guirassy
Guirassy had an incredible debut campaign at Borussia Dortmund last time out, as he finished with 38 goals and nine assists in his 50 outings. He has carried that form into the new campaign, having bagged seven goals and four assists in his 16 outings.
The Guinean striker has an incredible home record in the UEFA Champions League. He has scored ten goals in his last eight home games, and given the kind of run he has been in, the 29-year-old will certainly be the biggest threat for the visitors.
Prediction
Borussia Dortmund 2-1 Villarreal
Borussia Dortmund will head into the fixture as clear favourites, despite their recent dip in form across competitions. Their strong record at home in the UEFA Champions League, coupled with Serhou Guirassy’s remarkable scoring run on home soil, gives them a significant edge.
Villarreal, meanwhile, have plenty to prove after a disappointing European campaign so far. Although their league form has been impressive, their struggles in the Champions League have been evident, highlighted by the shock defeat to Pafos. Their inability to stay compact and their tendency to concede in crucial moments make this a tough assignment. The Hard Tackle predicts a 2-1 win for the home team.