Borussia Dortmund will be looking to end their winless streak when they host Villarreal in Round 5 of the Champions League, especially with the visitors being one of eight teams without a win in the competition.
A sensational 3-3 at home against Stuttgart extended Borussia Dortmund’s winless run to three matches across all competitions. The last time BVB failed to win three in a row was in January, so Niko Kovac’s side needs an immediate response.
Despite the upset, Dortmund proved their attacking might once more, and it was their defensive mistakes and Deniz Undav’s brilliance that stopped them from winning. So, the hosts have every right to feel confident ahead of this clash, as Villarreal’s performance has been abysmal.
The Yellow Submarine remains without a win after four rounds, most recently losing 1-0 to the smallest team in the competition, Pafos. And this is all extremely odd, as Villarreal won their last five domestic games and are sitting 3rd in La Liga.
How the bookies view it: The Yellow Submarine to crash at the Yellow Wall
As Borussia Dortmund stand undefeated at home during the new campaign, bookmakers believe the streak will continue with a win. You can currently back Dortmund at 4/5, the draw at 13/5, or Villarreal at 33/10.
Recent head-to-head: Villarreal are undefeated but in friendlies
Borussia Dortmund and Villarreal have never met in a competitive fixture before, so Round 5 will mark their first real clash. They did, however, play two friendlies in recent years, with Villarreal winning 2-0 in 2022, followed by a 2-2 draw in 2024.
Players to watch: Emre Can's experience will be key
Borussia Dortmund have a wealth of talent in attack, although their usual scorers have been quieter than usual lately. Currently, it is harder to guess which one will step up, so you can back Adeyemi, Beier, and Guirassy with equal confidence.
We have to highlight the return of Emre Can, who played his first minutes right before the international break, and since then has consistently been one of the best players on the pitch in every match. He is also the primary penalty taker for the team along with Guirassy. Overall, Emre Can is a valid pick if you want higher odds.
When a price looks too good to ignore, that’s value. Learn how to identify it with our Value Betting guide.
Probable line-ups
Borussia Dortmund: Kobel, Can, Schlotterbeck, Anton, Svensson, Nmecha, Sabitzer, Ryerson, Beier, Guirassy, Adeyemi
Villarreal: Junior, Cardona, Veiga, Foyth, Mourino, Pepe, Gueye, Parejo, Moleiro, Perez, Mikautadze
Anything else catch the eye?
Dortmund’s latest fixtures have been the complete opposite to Villarreal’s in terms of goals. BVB rarely keep a clean sheet and often score multiple goals, resulting in regular overs. In fact, their last seven Champions League fixtures finished with at least three goals.
On the other end, only one of Villarreal’s last five competitive fixtures featured goals from both teams. And we also found out the visitors failed to score in their last seven international defeats. This season alone, they were held scoreless three times in the UCL.
We have to back Borussia Dortmund in this case, as their overall performance at Signal Iduna Park has been incredible, and their last defeat at home goes back to March.
GambleAware