These two sides really come together at different points, and it begs the question: will it be like their last meeting, when Dortmund ran out 4-0 victors last season? Currently, Villarreal are in a real time of transition, having conceded eight goals in their last four La Liga matches. On the other hand, BVB manager Kovac set a new Dortmund record of 107 points from his first 50 Bundesliga matches, as his side fought back to win from 2-0 down against Hoffenheim.
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Inigo Perez makes several key switches for tonight’s intrepid encounter at the Westfalenstadion. The experience of Peter Gulacsi is preferred between the sticks to Luiz Junior, while in defence, Alex Freeman and Logan Costa make way for Pau Navarro and Santiago Mourino. Further ahead, Nicolas Pepe is replaced by Tajon Buchanan, while Santi Comesana enters for Alberto Moleiro. Up front, the pair of Ayoze Perez and Gerard Moreno make way for Tani Oluwaseyi and Georges Mikautadze.
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While captain Emre Can misses out with an ACL injury, Waldemar Anton continues as captain for Dortmund. Change-wise, Joey Veerman and Marcel Sabitzer enter the midfield in the day’s only two changes. Filippo Mane and Jobe Bellingham head in the opposite direction.
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VILLARREAL SUBS: Luiz Junior, Ruben Gomez, Alex Freeman, Logan Costa, Alassane Diatta, Alberto Moleiro, Carlos Macia, Nicolas Pepe, Ayoze Perez, Gerard Moreno, Ilias Akhomach.
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VILLARREAL (4-4-2): Peter Gulacsi; Santiago Mourino, Pau Navarro, Renato Veiga, Sergi Cardona; Tajon Buchanan, Pape Gueye, Nathan Saliba, Santi Comesana; Tani Oluwaseyi, Georges Mikautadze.
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BORUSSIA DORTMUND SUBS: Alexander Meyer, Patrick Drewes, Kaua Prates, Luca Reggiani, Carney Chukwuemeka, Ethan Nwaneri, Jobe Bellingham, Samuele Inacio, Fabio Silva, Mathis Albert.
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BORUSSIA DORTMUND (3-4-2-1): Gregor Kobel; Joane Gadou, Waldemar Anton, Daniel Svensson; Julian Ryerson, Joey Veerman, Marcel Sabitzer, Maximilian Beier; Konstantinos Karetsas, Felix Nmecha; Serhou Guirassy.
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Borussia Dortmund and Villarreal kick off their 2026-27 Champions League campaign tonight at Signal Iduna Park in a hopefully engaging first league-phase clash. BVB could make it four wins on the bounce this midweek, while the Yellow Submarine are yet to surface, as they await their first victory of the season. Following a 2-1 Der Klassiker defeat against Bayern Munich in the German Super Cup, Niko Kovac’s side have recorded three consecutive wins, including a 3-2 Bundesliga triumph over Hoffenheim on Saturday. Meanwhile in Spain, things have been difficult for Villarreal's new boss Inigo Perez. His team have failed to win any of their four matches so far this season, kicking off with back-to-back draws before losing each of their last two fixtures. The latter of which saw them fall 3-2 to Deportivo La Coruna.
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It's that time again! Hello everyone, we have an enthralling prospect for you tonight, as the Champions League has returned, with Borussia Dortmund facing Villarreal!
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The players are out now to a typically brilliant atmosphere. The captains, Anton and Comesana, meet with the day's chief official, Simone Sozza. After a moment of silence for the victims of the recent Nepalese floods, it looks like the visitors will get us started.
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And we're off, as Villarreal play from right to left in their white and light blue away shirts. Dortmund are in their yellow shirts and black shorts.
1'
CHANCE! An early right-sided Villarreal corner is floated in, and Navarro rises in the middle. His header just flashes across the face of goal and wide of the left post!
2'
Dortmund look to retaliate to the early chance with a high-energy press that nearly sees them get in behind. However, Saliba is aware of the movement and uses his body well against Karetsas to win a foul.
4'
Oluwaseyi is the target for a Comesana ball in from the left-centre, yet the Villarreal striker's header is tamely wide. He was offside anyway. Up the other end, Sabitzer is played in with Navarro following. The defender's eventual intercepting touch has Gulacsi scampering, and he has to tip it past the base of the right post. The resulting corner is a tame one and gets cleared.
6'
A nasty stat that Villarreal fans may be aware of... The Yellow Submarine have lost each of their last five away Champions League games without scoring in the process. The last side to lose six in succession on the road without scoring were Malmo FF between September 2015 and December 2021 (six games). Add in the prospect of playing Napoli, Liverpool and Paris Saint-Germain, and walking away empty-handed tonight will make it challenging to improve on their 35th-placed finish from last season's league phase.
8'
BEIER! CLOSE! The skilful wideman races in on the left side and gets the ball on his right foot inside the box. He shapes a shot for the right of goal, but it's just wide, with a stretching Guirassy missing the chance for a tap-in!
9'
Villarreal manage to stifle the early tempo with the award of a foul just inside their half. Some white-shirted possession ensues until a Gulacsi kick gives the ball to Dortmund.
11'
In their 4-0 win against Villarreal last season, Borussia Dortmund recorded 4.03 xG from just 13 shots in the match. We've yet to see that sort of offensive presence so far, but it could take form eventually.
13'
Mikautadze lingers with intent as the pendulum of momentum threatens to shift. Alas, Kobel claims well before the next phase sees Svensson head a cross away.
15'
After Gueye fires off target at one end, Dortmund pressurise the other. This gets only as far as a throw from the right being dealt with by the visiting defence.
17'
Buchanan sends in the second Villarreal corner of the day now, yet it fails to beat the front post, and it's headed away. It's safe to say that, apart from the crowd, this game has yet to get started.
19'
The fans react well to a Villarreal turnover in the centre of the park. The Dortmund move continues up the right before a cross is lofted in for Guirassy to chase. He just can't find space, however, and the yellow shirts are sent backwards before a loose pass forward brings a goal kick to the visitors.
21'
Karetsas looks to burst away on a right-sided counter following a Villarreal move. The defenders catch up, and with few options, he has to go sideways. There's some real worry now in the BVB camp, as the Greek starlet takes to the turf in real pain.
23'
Concern continues around Karetsas. The youngster continues to receive treatment. All he looked to do was complete a simple pass and then go down. Everyone involved is hoping this isn't too severe for the 18-year-old.
25'
Substitution Konstantinos Karetsas Ethan Nwaneri
27'
Horrible, yet hopeful viewing, as the stricken Karetsas is stretchered off to a standing ovation. In his place, arrives Ethan Nwaneri.
27'
We have another brief stoppage now as Ryerson clips Cardona. Play resumes with Villarreal passes amongst a steadily quickening Dortmund press. Will either side conjure something before the break?
29'
This is awful luck for Dortmund. First, it was Konstantelias getting an ACL injury; now it seems Karetsas is out for an extended period too.
30'
Guirassy does well with a charging drive on the left-centre. Navarro tries to bundle him off the ball, but instead concedes a foul in a dangerous area.
32'
Guirassy strikes the free-kick into the wall to receive a corner on the left. Ryerson sends it in deep, and Gulacsi claims with ease. Poor.
34'
There's a tension rising in the air now as Mourino gets away with a naughty challenge on Beier. Then, Buchanan goes down under pressure from Ryerson to be met with boos from almost all sides of the ground.
36'
Yellow Card Waldemar Anton
38'
Yellow Card Pau Navarro
38'
Guirassy receives the ball to feet while backing into a grappling Navarro. The Spaniard drags him to the ground to warrant a foul and another quickfire yellow card.
38'
Frustrations peak now for Dortmund, as after a tough Saliba tackle on Nmecha gets little response from the referee, an argumentative Anton receives the game's first booking.
38'
Dortmund have a corner now after their latest unsuccessful free-kick delivery. The delivery from the right comes to an end with Veiga finding himself fouled.
40'
Yellow Card Sergi Cardona
42'
Buchanan! The turning Canadian goes for goal from the right edge of the 18-yard box and forces a strong hand from Kobel! It's not a bad effort!
42'
BUCHANAN! The turning Canadian goes for goal from the right edge of the 18-yard box and forces a strong hand from Kobel! It's not a bad effort!
42'
We have our third booking now as Cardona chops down Ryerson on the near touchline with the ball nowhere near.
42'
Nwaneri skips inside his marker in the Villarreal box and shoots with his left foot. However, a white shirt gets in the way just in time.
44'
There'll be a minimum of three minutes added on here.
45'
SAVE! Gulacsi does well to race out to Guirassy at his right post, tipping behind a deft poke from the big Guinean frontman! The resulting corner is deal with, before a subsequent cross is overhit.
45'
HALF-TIME: BORUSSIA DORTMUND 0-0 VILLARREAL.
45'
Into the break in North Rhine-Westphalia, and we're goalless between Borussia Dortmund and Villarreal. In truth, it's not been a classic, but there have been moments to suggest we could see a goal. Pau Navarro's early header for the visitors just flashed wide to start things off, before Maximilian Beier's open-body effort just floated wide, with Serhou Guirassy unable to stretch and turn it home. The next moment of note was a rather unfortunate one, as Konstantinos Karetsas went down after a routine pass, requiring a stretcher to leave the field. After this, and amongst several yellow cards, Tajon Buchanan worked Gregor Kobel, and Guirassy nearly poked past a vigilant Peter Gulacsi at the other end. Alas, this clash is still for the taking, which is a scenario Villarreal probably weren't expecting.
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Despite their turgid start to the new season, Villarreal have looked the more convincing side in this clash so far. Their moves in the face of less time on the ball have been decent enough, seeing them work up a 0.67 xG in the opening exchanges. For Dortmund, their chances have seen them operate at a lower 0.41 xG. That said, with their buoyant support, it does feel like a flashpoint could really provide the men in yellow some valuable momentum. There were moments where this worked against them, with several yellow cards being shown between the sides, yet giving those fans something to roar about will undoubtedly be part of the half-time team talk. At the time of writing, the Opta Supercomputer gives Dortmund a 45.6% win probability. There's a 33.4% chance that things stay level, while a Villarreal win comes in at 21%.
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Substitution Sergi Cardona Alex Freeman
46'
Dortmund get us back into the action for the second 45 minutes. Hopefully, they're better than the first!
46'
Perez goes for a switch at the interval. It's a change at left-back, as Cardona heads off for Alex Freeman.
46'
We see an early second-half shot from Nwaneri now, yet it's off target and leaves Gulacsi unbothered as it drifts wide.
46'
Ooooh! That's rash! Nmecha touches the ball away from his marker on the left of the penalty area and gets wiped out! Referee Sozza waves it away quickly to Dortmund distain! No penalty!
47'
Villarreal are still operating on the counter. However, there have been two instances where the final ball through has been found wanting. The first was offside, while the second was intercepted in routine fashion.
49'
OFF THE POST! Great feet from Nwaneri sees him make enough space on the edge of the area and get a low shot off before being tackled. His strike whizzes towards the bottom-right corner, beats Gulacsi, but rebounds off the inside of the post before being cleared!
51'
Own goal Renato Palma Veiga
53'
GOOOOAAAALLLLL! 1-0! DORTMUND HIT THE FRONT! However, it's not a BVB man who gets it! Beier leaves Mourino in the dust on the left flank and then crosses low. Gulacsi parries it slightly before the ball ricochets off a flat-footed Veiga and trickles into the net!
53'
That'll be a really frustrating goal for Villarreal to concede. They'd done ever so well up to this point, keeping Dortmund out and working predominantly on the counter. However, there was a sense it could come, especially after Nwaneri hit the post.
55'
The Dortmund goal has seen the fans bring out the pyrotechnics. It's always a sad day when one of those goes unused in this part of Germany.
57'
Substitution Tani Oluwaseyi Alberto Moleiro
59'
Substitution Nathan Saliba Nicolas Pepe
59'
OLUWASEYI! OVER! It's a great chance for the Villarreal striker, yet following a fine Buchanan run and cross on the left, he can only head over from close range! He just gets under it!
58'
After missing that earlier header, Oluwaseyi is the next to come off. On comes Alberto Moleiro.
59'
Villarreal are looking for an injection of fresh pace now, as Saliba is brought off for Nicolas Pepe.
59'
Guirassy is fed inside the left of the Villarreal penalty area, yet can't get his feet right in order to shoot. The visitors clear. Up the other end, Pepe races onto a long ball, cuts inside and fires a deflected effort just over!
62'
Buchanan wins a free-kick just on the left edge of the BVB 18-yard box. Nwaneri is very fortunate that the poor tackle is deemed to be inside the area. Mikautadze takes it and goes for an angled shot after a clever lay-off from Pepe, yet it deflects over and behind.
64'
SAVE! Kobel gets down well as a Villarreal short corner moves inwards, and results in a Comesana drive through the bodies! The Swiss stopper parries away from the bottom-left corner well, yet takes his time to get up after an awkward landing.
65'
Goal Santiago Mouriño
66'
Assist Georges Mikautadze
66'
GOOOOAAAALLLLL! 1-1! MOURINO GETS VILLARREAL BACK ON LEVEL TERMS! Mikautadze fires in a great left-sided delivery, and the defender beats Ryerson at the near post to head past Kobel with aplomb!
66'
Mikautadze's delivery is fantastic there, but Dortmund should be doing better at their near post. How will this affect the momentum?
66'
CHANCE! Buchanan strikes from the edge of the Dortmund box as Villarreal tails are up! Kobel has to tip the effort over in agile fashion! In the next phase, he has to stop another shot from the Canadian, but this time it's catching practice.
69'
This is the first time Kobel has made five saves in a Champions League game since facing Manchester City in November 2025. There, he was forced into eight stops as City won 4-1.
71'
Veerman sees a shot blocked, and a later corner sees Gulacsi punch out. More changes seem to be imminent, as Fabio Silva converses with Kovac in the Dortmund technical area.
73'
WIDE! Great work from Sabitzer over on the left byline sees the Austrian keep the ball in and cross. Beier and Guirassy seem to get in each other's way as the latter flashes a header wide of the right post!
74'
Substitution Felix Nmecha Fábio Daniel Soares Silva
75'
Substitution Marcel Sabitzer Jobe Bellingham
75'
Substitution Tajon Buchanan Alassane Diatta
75'
The final change for now sees an unhappy Sabitzer sacrificed for Jobe Bellingham.
75'
Dortmund also go for fresh legs, as Fabio Silva replaces Nmecha.
75'
As suspected earlier, both sides go for changes. The all-action Buchanan makes way for Villarreal, being replaed by Alassane Diatta.
75'
SILVA! The Portuguese substitute is instantly involved as he lashes a shot on target from the edge of the Villarreal area! It's a well-hit effort, and Gulacsi has to parry it away from the left side of his goal! Top save!
76'
Dortmund win a corner on the left. Ryerson takes, but it goes through everyone. Silva keeps it alive with a looping ball back across. The hosts can't make anything of it, but force another set-piece on that same side. This flurry of action ends with Anton getting utterly wiped out by Diatta for a free-kick in a promising, central area.
78'
Goal Serhou Guirassy
80'
Assist Fábio Daniel Soares Silva
80'
GOOOOAAAALLLLL! 2-1! GUIRASSY SPARKS DORTMUND JUBILATION! The initial free-kick is poor, but BVB possession continues before Silva is fed down the right of the Villarreal box. He gets his head up and slides the ball across where Guirassy can tap home for his first UCL goal of the campaign on the opening night! Simple as that!
80'
Substitution Maximilian Beier Kauã Prates de Almeida
82'
Substitution Ethan Nwaneri Carney Chukwuemeka
82'
What an impact from Silva! His substitution has brought immediate energy and more directness, especially with that cutting run through and brilliant ball lasered back across!
80'
Substitution Pau Navarro Gerard Moreno
83'
More changes for the men in yellow and black. Nwaneri is off for Carney Chukwuemeka.
82'
With something of an assist for the own goal, Beier has had a good day. Off he comes now for Kaua Prates.
82'
Yellow Card Santiago Mouriño
83'
SILVA! Close! The Portuguese is a handful in the box and forces a save behind from a zinging effort!
82'
Mourino
83'
Villarreal also make a late change, as Navarro comes off for Gerard Moreno. The search for another goal is on!
83'
Penalty Goal Serhou Guirassy
85'
PENALTY! The right-sided corner comes in, and Guirassy is boisterously hauled down by Mourino! The wheels have come off for Villarreal!
83'
Mourino is booked for his bear hug on Guirassy. It's so blatant, and the last thing his side need right now.
83'
GOOOOAAAALLLLL! 3-1! GUIRASSY BRACE! Surely the hosts are home and hosed now, as the big man steps up and slams the ball confidently past a vacant Gulacsi into the left side for his second goal of the evening. It's a great start to the European season!
85'
Funnily enough, the last time Guirassy scored twice in the Champions League, was when Dortmund beat them 4-0 in November last year. He loves playing this team.
87'
SILVA! CLOSE! The long-haired forward has been superb since he's come on, and he sees Gulacsi make yet another save as he races down the left, cuts in and beats his marker before stinging the Hungarian's palms with a powerful effort.
89'
There'll be a minimum of five added minutes.
90'
Own goal Serhou Guirassy
90'
GOOOOAAAALLLLL! 3-2! OWN GOAL GUIRASSY! He can't stop scoring! Pepe takes a right-sided free-kick close to the byline and Kobel punches. It's sent back on goal before it's bundled in by Dortmund's towering striker!
90'
Lineups
Borussia Dortmund (3-4-2-1) coached by Niko Kovač
Gregor Kobel, Daniel Svensson, Waldemar Anton, Joane Gadou, Maximilian Beier, Marcel Sabitzer, Joey Veerman, Julian Ryerson, Felix Nmecha, Konstantinos Karetsas, Sehrou Guirassy
Villarreal (4-4-2) coached by Iñigo Pérez
Peter Gulacsi, Sergi Cardona, Renato Veiga, Pau Navarro, Santiago Mouriño, Santi Comesaña, Nathan-Dylan Saliba, Pape Gueye, Tajon Buchanan, Georges Mikautadze, Tani Oluwaseyi