Borussia Dortmund vs Barcelona: Betting Odds, Lineups, Predictions, Preview

Explore our detailed preview for Borussia Dortmund vs Barcelona in the Champions League. Stats, odds, predictions, and lineups for the 20:00 BST match.

Borussia Dortmund face a Herculean task at home as they welcome FC Barcelona, trailing 4-0 from a first-leg thrashing at the Estadi Olímpic. With Hansi Flick’s Barça in scintillating form, can Niko Kovač’s men channel the spirit of their 1997 European triumph to pull off a miracle? The odds aren’t kind, but football’s a funny old game.

Fixture: Borussia Dortmund Barcelona
Date: Tuesday, 15 April 2025
Kick-off: 20:00 (UK)
Venue: Signal Iduna Park, Dortmund

Dortmund need a 5-0 win to advance in 90 minutes - a taller order than convincing a Bayern fan to cheer for BVB. Barça’s depth and firepower suggest they’ll nick a goal, but Dortmund’s pride could spark a spirited 2-1 home win - alas, not enough to overturn the tie.

Dortmund’s yellow wall will roar, but Barça’s brilliance feels unstoppable. Expect heart, hustle, and a few fireworks - just not the miracle BVB crave.

Match Predictions: Borussia Dortmund 2-1 Barcelona

Dortmund, runners-up last season, have been patchy, losing seven of their last 13 Bundesliga games. Yet, their home record against Spanish sides (W9 D7 L4) and a recent 4-1 win at Freiburg suggest they’re not out of the fight just yet.

Barcelona are chasing their first Champions League semi-final since 2019, buoyed by a 23-game unbeaten run across all competitions (W19 D4).

Raphinha (12 goals) and Robert Lewandowski (11 goals, including a brace against his old club last week) are tearing up the stats sheets, while Lamine Yamal’s youthful exuberance (17 years, 270 days, and a first-leg goal) adds flair.

Dortmund’s high-pressing 4-2-3-1, led by Serhou Guirassy (10 Champions League goals), thrives on transitions, but injuries to Nico Schlotterbeck (season-ending meniscus tear) and Marcel Sabitzer (knee) weaken their spine. Expect Jamie Gittens and Karim Adeyemi to stretch Barça’s high line, with Pascal Gross pulling strings from midfield.

Barcelona’s 4-3-3 is a juggernaut, averaging three goals per game this season. Without Marc-André ter Stegen (knee injury), Wojciech Szczęsny’s 11 clean sheets offer stability, while Frenkie de Jong and Pedri dictate tempo. Dortmund must utilise set-pieces - Barça’s Achilles’ heel - but avoid leaving gaps for Raphinha and Yamal to exploit on the counter.

Barça dominate recent clashes (W4 D2 in six meetings), including a 3-2 league-phase win in Dortmund and last week’s 4-0 rout. Dortmund’s last home loss to a Spanish side was a 3-2 defeat to Barça in December 2024, ending a 14-game unbeaten home run.

BVB’s form (W3 L2 in five) is erratic, while Barça’s (W4 D1) is relentless, with 145 goals in 48 games this season.

Kobel; Ryerson, Can, Anton, Svensson; Gross, Chukwuemeka; Adeyemi, Brandt, Gittens; Guirassy

With 10 Champions League goals, Serhou Guirassy is the main source of hope for a Dortmund comeback, while reliable shot-stopper Gregor Kobel could prove pivotal.

Szczęsny; Koundé, Cubarsí, Martinez, Balde; de Jong, Pedri, Gavi; Yamal, Raphinha, Lewandowski

The competition's top scorer, Raphinha, is lethal cutting inside from the left, while Pedri and de Jong will dictate the midfield tempo with world-class vision.

• Guirassy vs. Cubarsí: Dortmund’s penalty-box predator faces a teenage titan who’s already tamed him once.
• Gross vs. de Jong: A midfield chess match - can Gross’s vision outwit de Jong’s metronomic passing?
• Yamal vs. Svensson: The 17-year-old’s dribbling wizardry could torment Dortmund’s left flank.
  

Lewandowski, once Dortmund’s darling, has now scored 28 goals in 28 games against them. Talk about twisting the knife!

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All odds and markets are correct as of the date of publication.