Manchester City host Borussia Dortmund in a blockbuster league phase showdown in the 2025-26 UEFA Champions League.
Locked on seven points apiece coming into this match, victory would see Man City or Borussia Dortmund stay in the top eight whilst the other will slip into the seeded knockout play-off positions.
Team News
Mateo Kovacic is ruled out for Man City indefinitely with an ankle injury which had kept him out of their last three matches, including their recent 3-1 Premier League win at home to Bournemouth.
Borussia Dortmund could be without Niklas Sule and Julian Brandt after the pair failed to participate in team training ahead of their journey to Manchester.
Julien Duranville is unlikely to be involved as he continues to rebuild his fitness following a shoulder injury.
When is Kick-Off?
Man City host Borussia Dortmund at Etihad Stadium on Wednesday 5 November at 8pm GMT, live on TNT Sports 1 in the UK.
Stat Attack
- Man City have lost one of their six previous Champions League meetings against Borussia Dortmund (W3, D2, L1).
- Borussia Dortmund are yet to claim a Champions League win away to Man City (D1, L2).
- Man City are yet to keep a clean sheet at home to Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League.
- Four of Man City’s six league phase goals this season have been scored by Erling Haaland.
- Three of Borussia Dortmund’s eight away goals in the league phase have been scored by ex City forward – Felix Nmecha.
Prediction
Having clinically dispatched Bournemouth after an initial slow start in which the Cherries luckily had a goal disallowed, City will feel confident coming into this clash with Haaland in red-hot goalscoring form but their defence will need to be wary of Dortmund’s firepower and be absolutely resilient.
Dortmund meanwhile has undergone rotation in recent games and clinically dispatched Augsburg in a scrappy game where they were outplayed in attack, yet crucially had the clinical end product unlike Augsburg which might stand them well because this could be scrappy despite scoring 12 goals in this phase to City’s six.
City however have been quite a tricky away trip for Dortmund in the past and I do expect it to be again but this time, I do think that they can snatch a draw if they continue to turn on their attacking quality as City isn’t totally solid defensively.
Prediction: Man City 1-1 Borussia Dortmund
Result: Man City 4-1 Borussia Dortmund