Borussia Dortmund will lock horns with Barcelona in a battle for supremacy at Signal Iduna Park as both sides look to solidify their spot in the UEFA Champions League top eight.
Both sides boast an identical record in the new League Phase format. They’ll head into the December 11 clash level on 12 points, just three behind pacesetters Liverpool.
Dortmund made light work of Ukrainian top-flight leaders Dynamo Kyiv in their last Champions League outing, running out 3-0 in Ukraine, while Barca swatted aside Ligue 1 strugglers Brest by an identical scoreline.
Both sides will be looking to boost their chances of booking an automatic slot in the knockout phase, and fans keen on catching all the live action can get their Borussia Dortmund vs Barcelona tickets on Seatsnet.com.
Match Preview
Dortmund’s 2024/25 campaign has been nothing short of polarising. Der BVB have excelled on the continental stage, but their form in the Bundesliga has been far from convincing.
At the time of writing, the Bundesliga giants sit outside the top four in fifth place.
They’ve won just six of their opening 12 games (D2, L4), picking up 20 points in the process, although just one keeps them outside the top four.
They trail arch-rivals and league leaders Bayern Munich by ten points and have struggled to convince the club faithful that they can compete for a Champions League spot this season.
While the Bundesliga campaign hasn’t covered Nuri Sahin in glory, the Champions League paints a very different picture, with Der BVB firing on all cylinders.
Eyebrows were raised when the ex-midfielder returned to his old stomping ground as manager, and the jury is still out on the former Turkiye international.
However, confidence in his ability may have been given a shot in the arm by his near-perfect record in the Champions League, collecting 12 points from five games.
Their only defeat thus far came against defending champions Real Madrid – their only real test – and Sahin’s side will be hoping to avoid a similar fate when they take on another La Liga giant.
Dortmund ran riot in their most recent Champions League outing in Kyiv. English hotshot Jaime Bynoe-Gittens gave Sahin’s side the lead in the first half.
Der BVB established a two-goal cushion in the second half through Ramy Bensebaini before summer signing and in-form striker Serhou Guirassy sealed the 3-0 win in stoppage time.
Dortmund will undoubtedly dream of replicating last season’s fairytale run to the Champions League final. They were equally underwhelming domestically, but they defied the odds to reach Wembley Stadium.
Sahin will no doubt hope for more consistency in the Bundesliga, but his side are in a decent position to reach the knockout phase, and a win against Barca will be a massive statement of intent.
Meanwhile, it appears the wheels have started to come off for Hansi Flick and Barca, with the La Liga leaders falling apart at the seams.
The Catalan giants enjoyed a fast start to life under the leadership of the former Bayern Munich and Germany head coach, racing to the top of the La Liga standings.
For a while, it looked like they would steamroll their way to the title, especially with Carlo Ancelotti and Madrid still figuring out how to balance their fearsome attacking force.
However, Flick’s side has suffered a dip in form, and recent results threaten to undo all the good work the German has done in the opening weeks of the season.
At the time of writing, Barca have won just one of their last four games across all competitions (D1, L2) and will hope to build momentum before their trip to Germany on December 11.
They still lead the pack in Spain, but fierce rivals Madrid have closed the gap to just one point with a game in hand. Flick needs to find a remedy before a small wound becomes a deep cut.
While Barca’s title challenge seems to be faltering, they’ve enjoyed a near-excellent Champions League campaign, winning four of their five League Phase games so far (L1).
Their only defeat in Europe came against French giants AS Monaco, where Flick’s side put up a decent fight despite going down to ten men early on. But it wasn’t enough to prevent a 2-1 defeat in France.
However, they have more than made up for the early mishap, winning their subsequent four UCL games.
They scored 17 times and conceded just three goals in that superb run, which included the 4-1 thrashing of UCL boogey team Bayern.
While their La Liga lead hangs on a knife-edge, Barca will be hoping to continue their remarkable European form and extend their winning streak to five games on the spin at the expense of Dortmund.
Head to Head
Dortmund and Barca have rarely come up against each other in European competitions. The upcoming contest will be only the third time that both sides have faced off in the Champions League.
The last time they faced off was in the 2019 Champions League group stage, where Dortmund held out for a goalless draw in Germany before falling to a 3-1 defeat in Spain.
Luis Suarez, Lionel Messi, and Antoine Griezmann were all on the score sheet as Barca ran riot on home turf, rendering Jadon Sancho’s 77th-minute strike as a mere consolation.
Barca will be keen to maintain their unbeaten record against their German counterparts, who have already suffered a heavy Champions League defeat against Spanish opponents this season.
Best XIs
Dortmund
Gregor Kobel has been a mainstay and a last line of defence for Dortmund. He remains Dortmund’s undisputed shot-stopper, although Sahin’s shaky backline has done him a disservice this season.
Waldemar Anton and Nico Schlotterbeck have been pillars at the heart of Dortmund’s shaky defence, with Julian Ryerson and Bensebaini on the flanks.
Felix Nmecha and former Brighton & Hove Albion ace Pascal Gross anchor the midfield, while Julian Brandt takes up the number ten role with Gittens and Maximilian Beier out wide.
Guirassy has been in remarkable form for Der BVB since joining from VfB Stuttgart and has established himself as Dortmund’s main dangerman.
(4-2-3-1): Kobel; Ryerson, Anton, Schlotterbeck, Bensebaini; Nmecha, Gross; Gittens, Brandt, Beier; Guirassy.
Barcelona
Inaki Pena has held down the fort as Barca’s last line of defence although his position could be reviewed when Marc Andre-ter Stegen returns from his lengthy lay-off.
Inigo Martinez and Pau Cubarsi have emerged as Flick’s trusted picks at the heart of the defence, with Jules Kounde and Alejandro Balde on the flanks.
Pedri, Dani Olmo, and Marc Casado have been the anchors of Barca’s impressive campaign thus far, while Raphinha, Robert Lewandowski, and Lamine Yamal form one of the most devastating attacking trios in Europe.
(4-3-3): Pena; Kounde, Martinez, Cubarsi, Balde; Pedri, Casado, Olmo; Raphinha, Lewandowski, Yamal.
Ticket Info
Fans can cheer their favourites live by purchasing tickets from the official channels.
Those looking to book a spot in the stands at a subsidised rate should look no further than Seatsnet.com, which remains the best ticket marketplace for every Champions League fixture.
How to Watch
Live Champions League football is on TV in the UK via TNT Sports and Amazon Prime Video. Amazon Prime Video have the first pick of matches on Tuesday evenings.
TNT Sports has the right to show every other game from the 2024/25 Champions League, including the 2025 UEFA Champions League final.
