With four victories from five group stage matches in this season’s UEFA Champions League, Borussia Dortmund find themselves in a promising position for automatic advancement to the last 16 as they enter matchday six. However, they cannot afford to relax, as there are eight teams trailing just two points behind them. This encounter with Barcelona, who are positioned slightly ahead, might be crucial in determining their progression.
Facing Barcelona is far from ideal for Dortmund, given that they have never secured a win against the Catalan team in previous meetings (D2, L2). Nonetheless, optimism is warranted for their home advantage, where they remain unbeaten this season across all competitions (W8, D1). Yet, Dortmund will need to be in top form offensively, as they have struggled defensively, having failed to maintain a clean sheet in their last nine Champions League matches against Spanish teams.
This situation suits Barcelona perfectly, as they are eager to accept any assistance available to emerge from their current inconsistent streak of performances (W2, D2, L2). During the weekend, they managed a 2-2 draw against Real Betis, squandering the lead twice. After the match, Hansi Flick acknowledged that his team might have been slightly distracted due to focusing on this significant upcoming encounter.
A reaction from the La Liga title contenders wouldn’t be entirely unexpected here, especially considering Flick’s flawless managerial record against Dortmund (W5). Both away victories in that sequence were narrow one-goal wins, yet when Barcelona triumphs away from home, it’s usually decisive, with their last six away wins across all competitions featuring a margin of three or more goals.
Players to observe: Dortmund’s young forward Jamie Gittens has found the net in four consecutive matches, initiating the scoring in each of the last three. Meanwhile, Ferran Torres has scored in two of his three appearances for Barcelona since returning from injury. Keep an eye out for his contributions late in the game, as three of his last four club goals have been scored after the 80th minute.
In the first five matchdays of the Champions League this season, Borussia Dortmund netted the highest number of goals from the 75th minute onwards, tying with PSV at six.
