First Champions League home game, live ticker for Villarreal clash | OneFootball

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Alongside the head coach, Waldemar Anton will also take a seat on the podium in the media room. The defender, who has captained BVB so far this season, left no doubt about how excited he is ahead of Tuesday evening: “The anticipation is huge. For every player who plays for Borussia Dortmund, a home game like this in the Champions League is something very special. Last season is behind us, we’re looking ahead and going full throttle from the start. And tomorrow we want to take the first step.”

+++ Kovac warns about Villarreal +++

The Dortmund coach also stressed at the press conference that he will not be misled by Villarreal’s current 16th place in Spain: “We mustn’t make the mistake of overrating their position in the table. It doesn’t reflect their performances in the first four league matches. And we also know: when the Champions League anthem plays, it’s a completely different story anyway.”

Last year’s emphatic 4-0 win over Villarreal also no longer matters to Kovac: “It sounded very clear-cut, but it was actually a very tight affair.” (Match preview: Kovac warns against the “Yellow Submarine” despite Villarreal’s poor start)

At the press conference, head coach Niko Kovac also addressed the open squad questions for Tuesday’s match: in addition to long-term absentees Giannis Konstantelias and Emre Can (both recovering from cruciate ligament tears), Nico Schlotterbeck and Ramy Bensebaini are unavailable due to red-card and second-yellow suspensions respectively.

Furthermore, as feared, Filippo Mane will also not be an option for tomorrow or the matches that follow: “We assume nothing will happen before the international break. He will certainly only return after that,” Kovac confirmed. Mane had to be substituted due to injury in Saturday’s match away to TSG Hoffenheim.

BVB fans need not worry about Daniel Svensson and Konstantinos Karetsas, who did not take part in team training on Monday. Kovac said of them: “That was completely normal today. It can always happen that we let one or two players recover in the dressing room or in the gym. Both are perfectly fit and options for the game.” (Squad update)

The Champions League balls are ready as Borussia Dortmund’s players step onto the training pitch. Under blue skies, 18 outfield players and three goalkeepers complete the final training session on Monday morning. Not involved: Daniel Svensson and Konstantinos Karetsas, who are doing individual work indoors, Ramy Bensebaini, who is suspended for the match, and Filippo Mane, who had to go off injured against Hoffenheim. Nico Schlotterbeck, Giannis Konstantelias and Emre Can are also still absent. The first 15 minutes are open to media representatives, after which training continues behind closed doors. See the best photos from the session.

+++ Strong home record in opening matches +++

Backed by their fans, BVB have usually enjoyed successful starts to their Champions League campaigns. They have recorded four wins, two draws and only one defeat. Black and Yellow have not lost a home opener in more than 30 years! Read more here: Strong home record: These numbers build excitement for the Champions League opener

That’s right, the Spaniards were already visitors in Dortmund last season. On Matchday 5 of the UEFA Champions League at the end of November 2025, Black and Yellow won their home game against the “Yellow Submarine” 4-0. Serhou Guirassy (2), Karim Adeyemi and Daniel Svensson got the goals.

The weather is set to cooperate: a mix of sun and clouds with temperatures around 19 degrees is forecast for Tuesday – perfect conditions for an unforgettable Champions League evening at SIGNAL IDUNA PARK!

Today, the Borussians are preparing for the first black-and-yellow game of the 2026/27 Champions League season, which kicks off on Tuesday evening at SIGNAL IDUNA PARK. The final training session will take place in the morning at the training ground in Dortmund-Brackel. In the afternoon, Niko Kovac and Waldemar Anton will answer journalists’ questions at the press conference.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇩🇪 here.