Borussia Dortmund - Villarreal

Serhou Guirassy arrives at the Champions League matchday 1 opener against Villarreal in clinical form, having spearheaded a 3-2 victory over Hoffenheim on 5 September 2026. Borussia Dortmund enter this fixture at Signal Iduna Park with momentum, following a dominant 5-0 DFB Pokal win against HEBC Hamburg earlier in the month. While the home side must navigate the defensive absence of Ramy Bensebaini, the expected starting XI, featuring midfield threats Marcel Sabitzer and Jobe Bellingham, looks well-equipped to control the tempo in front of their home crowd.

Villarreal travel to Germany seeking a response after a difficult 3-2 defeat to Deportivo de A Coruna on 5 September 2026. The visitors have found consistency elusive in their recent domestic outings, including a 1-0 loss to Deportivo Alaves. With Juan Foyth sidelined, the defensive unit led by Luiz Junior faces a stern test against a high-scoring Dortmund attack. Having suffered a 4-0 defeat to the hosts in their last Champions League meeting on 25 November 2025, Villarreal will need a disciplined performance to disrupt Dortmund’s rhythm and secure a positive start to their European campaign.