Borussia Dortmund will welcome Athletic Club to the Westfalenstadion for their UEFA Champions League clash on Wednesday night.

Borussia Dortmund and Athletic Club both head into Wednesday night’s UEFA Champions League clash at Signal Iduna Park still searching for their first wins in this year’s group stage.

The German giants endured a dramatic opener against Juventus in Turin, playing out an unforgettable 4-4 draw. BVB were seemingly in control with a 4-2 lead as the game entered stoppage time, only to concede twice in the dying moments, forcing them to settle for a point.

That rollercoaster aside, Borussia Dortmund remain unbeaten across all competitions this season and strengthened their domestic form with a controlled 2-0 Bundesliga victory over Mainz 05 at the weekend. With 13 points from their opening five games, Niko Kovac’s side sit second in the Bundesliga, two points behind leaders Bayern Munich.

Dortmund’s history in this competition adds further intrigue. The club lifted the UEFA Champions League in 1997, but their recent record against Spanish sides has been painful, having lost to Barcelona in last season’s quarter-finals and Real Madrid in the 2024 final. With group fixtures against Manchester City, Inter Milan, Villarreal, Tottenham Hotspur, Copenhagen, and Bodo/Glimt still to come, securing three points at home could prove decisive.

For Athletic Club, the return to the Champions League has been a mixed experience so far. Their long-awaited re-entry to the competition ended in disappointment, with a 2-0 home defeat to Arsenal at San Mames.

Their domestic form since then has dipped as well, as they followed up that European setback with just one point from their next three La Liga fixtures, drawing with Girona but falling to Valencia and Villarreal. Currently 10th in Spain’s top flight, Ernesto Valverde’s men must steady the ship quickly.

The Basque side had started the 2025/26 campaign strongly, winning their first three La Liga games against Sevilla, Rayo Vallecano, and Real Betis. However, September has been unforgiving. With group matches against Qarabag, Newcastle United, Sporting Lisbon, Atalanta, and PSG still to come, a positive result in Germany could reignite their campaign and build belief that they belong back at this level after a decade-long absence. The Hard Tackle takes a look at how both sides could line up and what tactics they might employ on the day.

Team News & Tactics

Borussia Dortmund

Borussia Dortmund will head into this contest with a few injury and fitness concerns. Julien Duranville is sidelined with a shoulder problem, while Aaron Anselmino remains a major doubt due to a muscular issue. Club captain Emre Can is also unavailable as he continues to battle a troublesome groin injury, leaving a void in the midfield.

In addition, youngster Cole Campbell will not be involved as he is away representing his nation at the Under-20 World Cup. There was also a scare regarding striker Serhou Guirassy, who withdrew from the starting lineup against Mainz at the weekend with a minor fitness problem.

Although he remained on the bench and was unused in that Bundesliga match, the 29-year-old, who has already scored five goals in six appearances this season, is expected to be fit enough to lead the line here. Another key performer, Karim Adeyemi, has been in fine form with three goals and two assists in six appearances and is set to start in the attacking third once again.

Borussia Dortmund are expected to line up in a 3-4-3 formation against Athletic Club. Gregor Kobel will continue as the first-choice goalkeeper, protected by a back three of Waldemar Anton, Nico Schlotterbeck, and Ramy Bensebaini. Yan Couto should operate at right wing-back, with Daniel Svensson likely on the opposite flank at left wing-back.

In central midfield, the pairing of Marcel Sabitzer and Felix Nmecha will look to dictate play and provide balance. Further forward, Karim Adeyemi is set to feature on the right side of the front three, with Maximilian Beier offering width and pace from the left. Serhou Guirassy is expected to spearhead the attack as the central striker, giving Dortmund their main goal threat.

Probable Lineup (3-4-3): Kobel; Anton, Schlotterbeck, Bensebaini; Couto, Sabitzer, Nmecha, Svensson; Adeyemi, Guirassy, Beier

Athletic Club

Athletic Club have a number of issues to contend with before their trip to Germany. The Lions are closely monitoring the fitness of Nico Williams, who has been sidelined with an injury since early September. His availability will likely be a late call, and his absence would be a significant blow to their attacking options.

Meanwhile, Alex Berenguer, Unai Egiluz, Mikel Vesga, and Benat Prados are all ruled out due to injury problems. In addition, Yeray Alvarez is suspended from football until next April after failing a drugs test, depriving head coach Ernesto Valverde of a key defensive presence.

If Nico Williams does not recover in time to make the squad, Ernesto Valverde is expected to hand Unai Gomez a start on the left flank, with Gorka Guruzeta also set to feature in the final third as the central striker. Inaki Williams, who remains their talisman in attack, should start on the right wing.

The Basque side are expected to line up in a 4-2-3-1 system. Unai Simon will keep his place as the first-choice goalkeeper, shielded by a back four of Jesus Areso at right-back, Dani Vivian, and Aitor Paredes as the centre-back pairing, and Yuri Berchiche at left-back. In midfield, Inigo Ruiz de Galarreta will sit alongside Mikel Jauregizar in a double pivot, providing both defensive stability and transitions into attack.

Further forward, Unai Gomez will take up his position on the right wing, with Oihan Sancet playing centrally as the attacking midfielder. If fit, Nico Williams would slot in on the left wing; however, should he miss out, Unai Gomez is expected to take his place. Leading the line as the primary striker will be Gorka Guruzeta, who will be tasked with converting chances against Dortmund’s back three.

Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Simon; Areso, Vivian, Paredes, Berchiche; de Galarreta, Jauregizar; I Williams, Sancet, Gomez; Guruzeta

Key Stats

• Borussia Dortmund and Athletic Club will face each other for the very first time in European competition. This will also mark Athletic Club’s first-ever game against a German side in the European Cup/UEFA Champions League.

• Borussia Dortmund have only lost three of their 16 home matches against Spanish teams in the UEFA Champions League (W7 D6). The only Spanish club to beat them by more than a single goal was Real Madrid, who won 3-1 at Signal Iduna Park in 2017/18.

• Athletic Club are unbeaten in their last six European games against German sides (W4 D2). However, their most recent clash came back in November 2017, when they beat Hertha BSC 3-2 in the UEFA Europa League group stage.

• The Basque side are also unbeaten in their last three European away trips to face German opposition (W2 D1). This includes a 3-2 win against Augsburg in 2015 and a 4-2 win over Schalke in 2012, the latter part of their journey to the Europa League final under Marcelo Bielsa.

• Borussia Dortmund boss Niko Kovac has never lost a Champions League group or league phase match as a manager (10 games: W7 D3). His teams have averaged 4.5 goals per outing in those matches, scoring 32 and conceding just 13.

Player to Watch

Serhou Guirassy

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All eyes will be on Serhou Guirassy, who has quickly emerged as Borussia Dortmund’s most reliable attacking outlet this season. The Guinean striker has hit the ground running with five goals in six appearances across all competitions, showing both sharpness inside the box and the ability to hold up play to bring his teammates into the game.

Guirassy’s predatory instincts make him a constant threat, particularly in tight contests where chances are few and far between. His knack for finding space, combined with his aerial ability, gives Borussia Dortmund a focal point against Athletic Club’s physically robust defence.

The fact that he was rested against Mainz suggests he will be fresh and primed for this UEFA Champions League fixture. If Dortmund are to unlock a disciplined Athletic Club backline and maintain their unbeaten European start, Guirassy’s finishing and presence will be absolutely crucial.

Prediction

Borussia Dortmund 2-1 Athletic Club

Borussia Dortmund arrive in this clash with confidence, still unbeaten this season and buoyed by their dramatic 4-4 draw against Juventus on matchday one. Niko Kovac’s side have a well-drilled attack, with Karim Adeyemi’s pace and Serhou Guirassy’s lethal finishing forming a formidable frontline. Their strong home record in Europe, losing just three of their last 16 Champions League matches against Spanish opposition, also tilts momentum in their favour.

Athletic Club, however, should not be underestimated. Despite recent domestic struggles, Ernesto Valverde’s men are resilient on the European stage, boasting an unbeaten run in their last six games against German teams. Their work rate, organisation, and the potential return of Nico Williams could add much-needed creativity to their attack.

That said, Borussia Dortmund’s fluid attacking play and home advantage look decisive. Athletic may frustrate them for periods with their defensive structure, but the home side’s greater cutting edge in the final third should eventually tell. Borussia Dortmund’s firepower, led by Serhou Guirassy, should give them the edge, though Athletic Club are likely to make this a hard-fought contest.