Borussia Dortmund vs Athletic Club

Borussia Dortmund kicked off their Champions League campaign with one of the most dramatic matches in recent memory, sharing eight goals with Juventus in a 4-4 thriller. Niko Kovač’s side looked set for victory after establishing a 4-2 lead in Turin, only for Juve to strike twice in stoppage time and snatch a point. BVB responded in the right manner at the weekend, recording a 2-0 Bundesliga victory over Mainz to maintain their unbeaten start [5W, 2D, 0L] to the 2025-26 season. This marks the first ever European meeting between the Prussians and Athletic Club, while the Basque outfit are also facing German opposition in the European Cup/Champions League for the first time. The Signal Iduna Park has traditionally been a difficult venue for Spanish teams, with Dortmund losing just three of 16 home clashes in the competition’s history [7W, 6D, 3L]. Only Real Madrid have managed to beat them by more than a single goal, prevailing 3-1 in the 2017-18 edition. Kovač has yet to suffer defeat in the group or league phase of the UCL as a manager, overseeing 10 such fixtures [7W, 3D, 0L] – a good omen for the hosts. However, injuries threaten to disrupt their momentum, with Julien Duranville and Emre Can ruled out, while Aarón Anselmino is also a doubt. A 3—4—3 formation is expected with Karim Adeyemi, Serhou Guirassy and Julian Brandt up front.

Athletic Club, in contrast, arrive in Dortmund searching for form. After beginning their La Liga campaign with three consecutive victories [WWW], Ernesto Valverde’s side have suffered a downturn, losing four of their last five in all competitions [0W, 1D, 4L]. Their most recent outing brought a 1-0 defeat at Villarreal, which followed a disappointing 2-0 home loss to Arsenal on matchday one. The Basques can at least draw inspiration from a respectable record against German clubs, having avoided defeat in their last six European meetings [4W, 2D, 0L]. They have also gone unbeaten in their last three European away trips to Germany, winning at both Schalke and Augsburg earlier in the decade. Injury concerns linger for the visitors, with Nico Williams facing a late fitness test, while Álex Berenguer, Unai Egiluz, Mikel Vesga and Beñat Prados remain sidelined. Yeray Álvarez is suspended. Gorka Guruzeta may start in the attack of a 4—2—3—1 setup.