Dortmund has made a strong start in this season’s Champions League, having played five matches with four victories and one loss. Their only defeat came against Real Madrid, the team they faced in the previous final, losing 5-2.
This solid performance has placed them 4th in the standings, just three points behind leaders Liverpool. With three matches remaining in the group phase, they are well-positioned to qualify for the knockout round directly. Recently, they secured a 3-0 win over Dinamo Zagreb and followed it with a 1-1 draw against Bayern Munich in the Bundesliga.
Despite their success in Europe, Dortmund is still adjusting in the Bundesliga, where they are currently in 5th place as the first half of the season nears its conclusion.
Barcelona has had a similar Champions League campaign, also registering four wins and one loss. After a close 2-1 loss to Monaco in their opening match, the Blaugrana bounced back with commanding victories over Young Boys Bern (5-0), Bayern Munich (4-1), Red Star Belgrade (5-2), and Brest (3-0).
These performances have made Barcelona the highest-scoring team in the competition, with 18 goals across five matches, averaging over three goals per game.
Barcelona currently sits in 3rd place in their group and leads La Liga, but they have struggled in recent weeks, losing 2-1 at home to Las Palmas and drawing with Mallorca and Betis Sevilla before their upcoming trip to Dortmund.
Dortmund is hopeful that forward Adeyemi, who has scored three goals in the Champions League but has been sidelined for two months due to a muscle injury, will return for this match.
Defender Süle is back in action following their win in Zagreb, and midfielder Brandt, who has contributed two goals and five assists across all competitions, is also expected to feature. However, they will miss the defensive presence of Anton, and their top scorers in the Champions League, Gittens and Guirassy, who each have four goals, will be crucial in the absence of some other key players.
Barcelona, on the other hand, is dealing with several injuries, including central defender Christensen, midfielder Bernal, and starting goalkeeper ter Stegen, who has been replaced by Peña. They are also likely to miss first-choice left-back Baldé and forward Fati.
However, central defender Araujo is set to return to the squad after resuming training, and star striker Lewandowski, who has scored 22 goals in all competitions, including seven in the Champions League, is a major threat. Lewandowski recently marked his 100th Champions League goal against Brest.
Prediction
Dortmund has struggled at home recently, winning only two of their last 14 league matches and losing four of their last six home games.
In contrast, Barcelona has been more successful on the road, winning eight of their last 13 Champions League fixtures. With significant new signings in the summer, Barcelona looks poised to continue their strong form.
Prediction: Dortmund 1-3 Barcelona.
