Borussia Dortmund vs Villarreal

Borussia Dortmund kick off their 2026/27 UEFA Champions League campaign at home to Villarreal on Tuesday, 8 September, in the opening round of the league phase. The match is scheduled for the Signal Iduna Park, Dortmund’s usual home, where the two sides met at the same stage last season and the Bundesliga outfit ran out emphatic 4-0 winners.

Dortmund’s Early Season Form

Niko Kovač’s side have experienced a mixed start to the new season, with the last five outings across all competitions producing two wins, two draws, and a defeat. A 5-0 thrashing of Hamburg away from home was the standout performance, backed up by a 2-0 home victory over the same opponent. Dortmund also drew 2-2 with Roma in a pre-season test, while narrow losses to Bayern Munich (2-1) and Arsenal (3-2) highlighted defensive vulnerabilities that Villarreal will look to exploit. Goals have not been a problem — BVB have scored 13 times in that five-match span — but keeping clean sheets remains a work in progress.

Villarreal’s La Liga Start

Villarreal enter the tie on the back of a 1-0 league defeat at Deportivo Alavés on 28 August, a result that leaves them with two wins, two draws, and one loss from their last five competitive and pre-season fixtures. The Yellow Submarine drew 2-2 with both Atlético Madrid and Racing Santander in La Liga, while their two victories came in summer friendlies against Galatasaray and Levante. Across those five games they scored six goals and conceded five, a compact record that reflects the organised, counter-attacking style Marcelino García Toral has instilled. Last season’s Champions League campaign was a bruising one — Villarreal finished 35th in the league phase, collecting just a single point.

A Repeat of Last Season’s Opener

Fate has handed Dortmund a rematch of the 2024/25 league phase curtain-raiser, when Villarreal visited Signal Iduna Park and were dismantled 4-0. The Spanish side struggled to cope with Dortmund’s high-tempo pressing and quick transitions that night, and they will arrive in Germany determined to avoid a repeat. With BVB’s squad revamped around young, exciting talents, the attacking threat is likely to be just as potent, but Villarreal’s current form suggests they are more resilient than the side that shipped four goals without reply a year ago.

What’s Next

Both clubs face quick turnarounds after this fixture. Dortmund travel to Hoffenheim in the Bundesliga on 12 September, while Villarreal return to domestic action with a home league match. The Champions League league phase will roll on for Dortmund with a trip to Bodø/Glimt in October, while Villarreal host Slavia Prague on the same matchday.