Read our Borussia Dortmund vs Villarreal prediction with betting tips, odds, bet builder insights, and lineups ahead of this UEFA Champions League fixture.
Borussia Dortmund vs Villarreal Match Summary
Competition | UEFA Champions League |
|---|---|
Match Date | Tuesday 8 September 2026 |
Match Time | 20:00 UK time |
Venue (City, Stadium) | Dortmund, Signal Iduna Park |
Broadcast (TV / Streaming / Radio / Bookmaker Streaming) | TNT Sports 2 (UK) |
The Champions League is back, and Borussia Dortmund host Villarreal at Signal Iduna Park on Matchday 1 of the 2026-27 league phase.
Dortmund arrive in strong shape, making their 11th consecutive appearance in the competition's group or league phase. Niko Kovač's side have won three on the spin and four of their last six in all competitions.
Villarreal, meanwhile, have qualified for the Champions League in back-to-back seasons for the first time in their history, but they land in Germany winless in four and short of rhythm.
The clubs have met competitively just once before, with Dortmund running out 4-0 winners at Signal Iduna Park, so the hosts start clear favourites for this Borussia Dortmund vs Villarreal prediction.
Borussia Dortmund vs Villarreal Form
Dortmund are in excellent nick, with three straight wins and four victories in their last six across all competitions, racking up 16 goals along the way. Serhou Guirassy remains the focal point, directly involved in 24 goals in his last 24 Champions League appearances. Dortmund have also won their Matchday 1 opener in three of their last five European campaigns.
Villarreal present the polar opposite picture. They are winless in four and have managed just one win in their previous six outings. Away from home in Germany across European competition, they are winless in six (drawing three, losing three), and they have failed to win any of their five previous Champions League Matchday 1 fixtures.
Borussia Dortmund vs Villarreal Lineups & Team News
Injuries & Suspensions
Borussia Dortmund: Emre Can (Injured/out), Giannis Konstantelias (Injured/out), Justin Lerma (Injured/out), Ramy Bensebaini (Injured/out), Nico Schlotterbeck (Injured/out), Mussa Kaba (Injured/out), Enzo dos Santos (Injured/out), Samuele Inácio (Injured/out)
Villarreal: No injuries or suspensions reported
Borussia Dortmund
Niko Kovač has a lengthy absentee list to juggle, with Emre Can, Nico Schlotterbeck, Ramy Bensebaini and several others all unavailable. That thins the defensive options considerably, so Gregor Kobel should keep goal behind a back three of Joane Gadou, Waldemar Anton and Filippo Mané, with Anton carrying the responsibility of organising a reshaped unit. In midfield, Julian Ryerson and Daniel Svensson provide the width, Jobe Bellingham and Felix Nmecha sit centrally, and Konstantinos Karetsas and Maximilian Beier are expected behind Guirassy.
Villarreal
Iñigo Pérez has a fully available squad, offering welcome stability for a side trying to build on a difficult European campaign. Luiz Júnior should start in goal behind Alex Freeman, Logan Costa, Renato Veiga and Sergi Cardona. Nathan Saliba and Pape Gueye are expected in the engine room, with Pépé and Alberto Moleiro providing width, while Ayoze Pérez and Gerard Moreno lead the line. Carrying the ball forward in transition will be key given how hard it is to dominate possession at Signal Iduna Park.
Borussia Dortmund vs Villarreal Predicted Lineup
Borussia Dortmund
Formation: 3-4-2-1
Predicted Starting Lineup: Kobel; Mané, Anton, Gadou; Svensson, Nmecha, Bellingham, Ryerson; Beier, Karetsas; Guirassy
Villarreal
Formation: 4-4-2
Predicted Starting Lineup: Júnior; Cardona, Veiga, Costa, Freeman; Moleiro, Gueye, Saliba, Pépé; Moreno, Pérez
Borussia Dortmund vs Villarreal Key Stats & Match Facts
Dortmund have suffered only two defeats in their last 22 home Champions League matches at Signal Iduna Park.
The hosts have lost only two of their last 15 home European matches against Spanish opposition, winning nine and drawing four.
Dortmund's 16 Champions League league-phase matches across the last two seasons produced 70 goals, an average of 4.38 per game.
Villarreal failed to score in each of their last five away matches in the competition and managed only five goals throughout last season's league phase.
Guirassy has been directly involved in 24 goals in 24 Champions League appearances, scoring 17 and assisting seven.
Borussia Dortmund vs Villarreal Prediction & Best Bets
Our prediction: This is a comfortable start for the hosts. Dortmund's home record, current momentum and Guirassy's European output all point one way, and against a Villarreal side searching for rhythm we make it Borussia Dortmund 2-0 Villarreal. Dortmund are 4/5 with Betfred to win. These are our Borussia Dortmund vs Villarreal best bets.
Best Bets
Pape Gueye Over 1.5 in the Player Shots market. The Villarreal midfielder is expected to be active in central areas, and with Villarreal needing to carry the ball forward in transition he should be getting efforts away from range. The AI model gives this pick strong positive expected value, making it one of the standout Borussia Dortmund vs Villarreal betting odds selections on the card.
Serhou Guirassy in the Anytime Goalscorer market. Guirassy has been directly involved in 24 goals in 24 Champions League matches, scoring 17 of them, and with Dortmund favoured and projected to score he is the obvious focal point of the home attack. The AI model puts his implied probability of finding the net at just over 50%, making this one of our standout Borussia Dortmund vs Villarreal best bets.
Borussia Dortmund vs Villarreal Bet Builder
Our Borussia Dortmund vs Villarreal bet builder tips back the hosts to win, Guirassy to score anytime and both teams to find the net at Signal Iduna Park.
Dortmund to win is the anchor. They have lost just two of their last 22 home Champions League games and arrive on three straight victories, so home advantage is firmly on their side.
Guirassy anytime scorer follows the theme. Involved in 24 goals across his last 24 Champions League outings, he is the natural focal point against a reshuffled visiting defence.
Both teams to score leans on Dortmund's leaky European backline, which shipped 21 goals in 10 Champions League matches last season, giving Villarreal a route to the net.
Villarreal have shown some attacking life, producing 11 goals across their last six, so a visiting reply keeps the both teams to score leg alive.
At the time of writing, this bet builder pays a best price of 11/4 and is as short as 12/5 elsewhere.
Make sure to get the best odds on your Bet Builder with Oddschecker's Exclusive Bet Builder Comparison Tool.
Bet builder odds correct at time of publishing.
Borussia Dortmund vs Villarreal Talking Points
This is only the sixth time Villarreal have reached the proper stages of the competition, but they arrive on an 11-match winless run in the Champions League proper, which tells its own story. Dortmund, by contrast, have won each of their last three home European matches against Spanish opposition and boast a formidable record at Signal Iduna Park. The visitors' best hope is that Kovač's reshaped defence, missing Schlotterbeck and Bensebaini, creates openings for Pépé and Moreno. Get it right and this could be the night Villarreal finally break their run, but the balance of evidence still firmly favours the hosts.
Borussia Dortmund vs Villarreal Predictions FAQs
When is the Borussia Dortmund vs Villarreal Champions League game?
The match kicks off on Tuesday 8 September 2026 at 20:00 UK time.
Where is Borussia Dortmund vs Villarreal being played?
Borussia Dortmund vs Villarreal will be played at Signal Iduna Park in Dortmund.
Where can I watch Borussia Dortmund vs Villarreal?
The match will be broadcast live on TNT Sports 2 in the UK.
What competition is Borussia Dortmund vs Villarreal in?
The fixture is being played in the UEFA Champions League.
Disclaimer
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