Borussia Dortmund begin their UEFA Champions League campaign on Tuesday with a difficult home match against Villarreal, all while grappling with a severe defensive crisis. The match at Signal Iduna Park kicks off at 8pm BST and will be broadcast live on TNT Sports 2.
The team managed by Niko Kovač heads into the match sitting 3rd in the Bundesliga table after a perfect start. With six points from two wins, five goals scored and two conceded, Dortmund's domestic form is strong. This provides hope, but the personnel issues at the back are a major concern.
Niko Kovač stated ahead of the fixture: "We face a significant defensive crisis ahead of this opening fixture." That statement almost undersells the situation. Filippo Mané is sidelined with a thigh injury sustained in the 3-2 win over Hoffenheim. Nico Schlotterbeck is suspended and also recovering from an ankle injury. Long-term absentee Emre Can remains out with a serious knee issue, as does Giannis Konstantelias with an ACL injury. Ramys Bensebaini is suspended due to a red card carried over from last season. Justin Lerma is out with a muscle problem.
According to the current injuries list, Mané, Konstantelias, and Schlotterbeck are currently unavailable, alongside Konstantinos Karetsas. Daniel Svensson and Karetsas are fully fit, but the defence requires a complete reshuffle. Waldemar Anton is expected to anchor a makeshift three-man backline in front of goalkeeper Gregor Kobel.
Despite the defensive woes, the attack is firing on all cylinders for BVB. The team bounced back from a German Supercup defeat with a 2-0 win over Hamburger SV and a commanding 5-0 victory in the DFB-Pokal. The 3-2 comeback against Hoffenheim last weekend was further proof of their morale and firepower. The frontline has scored 16 goals across their last six competitive fixtures. This goal threat will be desperately needed against Villarreal.
Dortmund's next Bundesliga opponent is SC Paderborn 07, who visit Signal Iduna Park on September 12th and currently sit 12th in the table. The full schedule can be found on our fixtures page.
While Dortmund started strongly, Villarreal is enduring a difficult beginning to their season. The Spanish side remains winless after their opening four La Liga fixtures. Two draws were followed by back-to-back defeats. A chaotic 3-2 home loss to Deportivo La Coruña particularly exposed defensive vulnerabilities.
However, manager Íñigo Pérez travels to Germany with a much cleaner bill of health. "We travel to Germany with a much cleaner bill of health," he said. Only Juan Foyth is officially ruled out as he continues to recover from an ongoing muscle injury. Carlos Romero is a major doubt for the matchday squad after experiencing severe physical discomfort. Luiz Júnior is set to start behind a central defensive pairing of Logan Costa and Renato Veiga. The team will rely on Gerard Moreno and Georges Mikautadze offensively.
The tactical challenge for Kovač is substantial. He must mould a functional defensive unit from the remaining fit players. Anton will have to take on a central role. Support from the defensive midfield will be especially important to plug the gaps. The offensive strength and the home advantage in a sold-out Signal Iduna Park are Dortmund's biggest assets for the evening.
Detailed team statistics and performance data for the current season are available in our stats overview. Borussia Dortmund host SC Paderborn 07 in the Bundesliga on September 12th.
