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December 9 2024, 11:35 · Alex Lawes
Updated: December 9 2024, 16:24

Borussia Dortmund vs Barcelona Preview: Team News & Prediction

Borussia Dortmund vs Barcelona Preview: Team News & Prediction
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Last season’s runners’ up Borussia Dortmund have been very impressive in this season’s UEFA Champions League with the Germans now facing a stuttering Barcelona side this week.

Kick-off date/time: Wednesday 11th December, 2024: UK – 8:00pm / US ET – 3:00pm / US PT – 12:00pm

How to watch on TV: UK – TNT Sports / US – Not televised

How to watch online: UK – Discovery+ / US – Paramount+

Borussia Dortmund Preview: Different side in Europe

Much like last season when Edin Terzic was at the helm, Borussia Dortmund were really underwhelming in the Bundesliga but thrived in the UEFA Champions League and now this season the same is happening with former midfielder Nuri Sahin now in charge.

They were held to a frustrating 1-1 draw with Borussia Monchengladbach at the weekend to mean they sit sixth in the German Bundesliga. Their only defeat in this competition, though, has come at the Bernabeu against Real Madrid when they were 2-0 up at half-time. 

Barcelona Preview: Frustrations for the Blaugrana

Hansi Flick started his reign in charge of Barcelona extremely well and they remain at the top-of-the-table in La Liga but have been faltering of late with the Blaugrana winning just one of their last five matches in the league as they conceded a 94th minute equaliser to Real Betis.

Things looked to have clicked back into gear with a 5-1 hammering of Real Mallorca in the Balearic Islands last week, albeit their performance was still not overly convincing. They have won four and lost one of their five UEFA Champions League games so far this season. 

Borussia Dortmund Team News: Key absentees

Summer signing Waldemar Anton is out due to a groin injury this week with other key men such as Niklas Sule, Julian Brandt and Maximilian Beier also unavailable. Karim Adeyemi is edging his way back to full fitness following a hamstring injury over the autumn months.

Predicted XI (4-3-3): Kobel; Ryerson, Can, Schlotterbeck, Bensebaini; Sabitzer, Nmecha, Gross; Malen, Guirassy, Bynoe-Gittens

Unavailable: Anton (Injured), Sule (Injured), Brandt (Injured), Beier (Injured)

Questionable: Adeyemi (Injured)

Barcelona Team News: Reliance on a youngster

In a young squad, Barcelona do have a massive reliance on the performance of 17-year-old Lamine Yamal in order to play well. They have some key injury absentees such as Marc-Andre ter Stegen, Ronald Araujo and Marc Bernal.

Predicted XI (4-2-3-1): Pena; Kounde, Cubarsi, Martinez, Martin; Casado, Pedri; Yamal, Olmo, Raphinha; Lewandowski

Unavailable: Ter Stegen (Injured), Christensen (Injured), Araujo (Injured), Bernal (Injured), Fati (Injured)

Questionable: 

Key Stats

  • The only previous UEFA Champions League meetings between these two teams were in the 2019/20 group stage when a 0-0 draw in Germany on Matchday 1 was followed by a 3-1 home win for Barcelona on Matchday 5. Their only other UEFA competition encounters were in a two-legged UEFA Super Cup tie in 1998 when a 2-0 victory for Barcelona in Spain was followed by a 1-1 draw in Dortmund.
  • Dortmund have lost only one of their last 11 UEFA club competition matches at home against Spanish teams (W6 D4).
  • Dortmund have won seven of their last nine matches in the UEFA Champions League proper (L2).
  • Dortmund have won their last five matches at home in the UEFA Champions League proper.
  • Dortmund are unbeaten in their last 13 matches at home in the UEFA Champions League proper (W9 D4).
  • Dortmund have kept nine clean sheets in their last 13 matches at home in the UEFA Champions League proper.
  • Dortmund have opened the scoring in their last nine UEFA Champions League group/league matches.
  • Marcel Sabitzer is to become only the second Austrian player to reach the landmark of 50 appearances in the UEFA Champions League after David Alaba (117 prior to MD6).
  • Barcelona have won only one of their last eight UEFA club competition matches away from home against German teams (D3 L4).
  • Barcelona have won their last four UEFA Champions League matches.
  • None of Barcelona’s last 26 UEFA club competition matches finished without a goal being scored.
  • Robert Lewandowski has scored seven goals in Barcelona’s last three UEFA Champions League matches.
  • Robert Lewandowski has scored two goals in each of his last two UEFA Champions League appearances. He has scored twice in three successive matches in the competition, that was for Bayern in the 2018/19 group stage.

Borussia Dortmund vs Barcelona Prediction

Borussia Dortmund have been excellent on the continent and the form of England U21 international attacker Jamie Bynoe-Gittens has been paramount to that. They can lift themselves for the big European night despite struggles and frustrations domestically. Barcelona have still continued to create and score during their recent travails but Dortmund will fancy their chances of getting behind their high-line with a potentially entertaining clash at the Westfalenstadion. 

Borussia Dortmund vs Barcelona Tip: Both teams to score