Borussia Dortmund vs Villarreal: Champions League Match Preview

Borussia Dortmund begin their 2026/27 UEFA Champions League campaign at home against Villarreal at Signal Iduna Park. It is a big European night for Dortmund, who will be looking to carry their excellent recent form into the competition. The German side have won their last three matches and scored 10 goals during that run.

Villarreal arrive in Germany with a very different story. The Spanish side are still searching for their first competitive win of the season and suffered a 3–2 defeat against Deportivo La Coruña in their latest match. They have shown attacking quality, but defensive mistakes have cost them points.

Match Details

• Competition: UEFA Champions League – League Phase, Matchday 1

• Date: Tuesday, September 8, 2026

• Kick-off: 8:00 PM BST / 12:30 AM IST

• Venue: Signal Iduna Park, Dortmund, Germany

Key Players

Borussia Dortmund: Serhou Guirassy, Jobe Bellingham, Karim Adeyemi

Villarreal: Georges Mikautadze, Gerard Moreno, Ayoze Pérez

Dortmund will rely heavily on Serhou Guirassy, who has made an excellent start to the season and already scored in both of his recent Bundesliga appearances. His movement and finishing could be a major problem for Villarreal's defence.

Villarreal will look toward Georges Mikautadze for goals and attacking movement. The Georgian forward scored 13 goals last season and remains one of the visitors' biggest threats going forward.

What to Watch

Dortmund are likely to take control of possession and push Villarreal back early. Their pace in the final third could cause problems, particularly if Guirassy receives enough service around the penalty area.

Villarreal, however, have enough attacking quality to punish Dortmund on the counter. The key for the visitors will be staying compact defensively and avoiding the individual errors that have hurt them during the opening weeks of the season.

Team News

Dortmund will have some important absences. Nico Schlotterbeck and Ramy Bensebaini are suspended, while Emre Can and Filippo Mané are also unavailable. Konstantinos Karetsas and Daniel Svensson are expected to be available despite missing part of training.

Villarreal have a much healthier squad overall. Juan Foyth remains their main confirmed injury absentee, while goalkeeper Luiz Júnior's position is also being considered after a difficult start to the campaign.

Who Has the Chance?

Dortmund look like the stronger side coming into this match. Their three-game winning streak, home advantage and attacking form give Niko Kovač's team plenty of confidence heading into their European opener.

Villarreal cannot be completely written off, though. They have dangerous forwards and could make the game uncomfortable if Dortmund leave space behind their defence. Still, their current defensive problems make Signal Iduna Park a particularly difficult place to visit.

Prediction

Dortmund's momentum and home advantage should make the difference. Villarreal can score, but the hosts have enough attacking quality to secure a positive start to their Champions League campaign.

Borussia Dortmund 3–1 Villarreal