UEFA Champions League – the ticker for the trip to Manchester | OneFootball

On the agenda today:

+++ 09:09 Uhr: Good morning from Manchester +++Today is match day! The Borussia players are preparing for the game with a warm-up session in the morning. In the evening, they will set off for the Etihad Stadium, where kick-off is at 21:00 CET.

Tuesday, 4 November 2025

+++ 20:20 CET: press conference with Niko Kovac and Pascal Gross +++We’re back at the Etihad Stadium. Sitting next to BVB coach Niko Kovac on the podium is Pascal Gross, who has years of experience in England from his time at Brighton & Hove Albion. “I think they’re more beatable than they were a few years ago. They’re going through a bit of a transition, but they still have world-class players in their ranks. I hope I can improve my record against City,” says Gross. “In the Champions League, teams don’t defend as deeply. You have more space and a little more time than in the Bundesliga. That means my players will have more time to show their quality,” explains Kovac. Former Borussia player Erling Haaland was also a topic of discussion at the press conference (see pre-match report).

+++ 18:33 CET: Hello from England +++We’re here, BVB have landed in Manchester! However, it’s only 17:33 here. The flight took about an hour and 15 minutes. While most of the players and coaches are now heading to the team hotel for dinner, Niko Kovac and Pascal Gross are on their way to the stadium for the press conference (live on BVB-TV). And the weather? Typically English: it’s raining.

+++ 16:17 CET: the players arrive at the airport +++Borussia Dortmund have arrived at the airport. The team Airbus EW 1909 is scheduled to take off for Manchester at 17:00 CET with the BVB delegation on board. This is the squad

+++ 16:09 CET: media round +++Before leaving for Manchester for the fourth Champions League match of the season, Lars Ricken answered questions from journalists. “The recent victories have given us security, confidence — and a good atmosphere in the dressing room. We will definitely need that in Manchester. It is one of the biggest challenges in European football. We want to remain among the leading pack,” said the managing director before boarding the flight at Dortmund Airport. Read the full article.

+++ 13:40 CET: final training session +++Cones, poles, hurdles – and Champions League balls: everything is ready for the final training session. Julien Duranville, who made his comeback with the U23s at the weekend, is back training with the team on the pitch. Meanwhile, Julian Brandt and Niklas Süle, who had to sit out the game against Augsburg, are completing an individual session indoors.

The first 15 minutes of the final session are open to the media, after which the team will work behind closed doors to put the finishing touches on preparations for tomorrow...

More photos in the picture gallery

+++ 09:43 CET: a tenth straight season in the Champions League +++Borussia Dortmund are participating in the UEFA Champions League for the 20th time – and the tenth time in a row – and have reached the knockout stages in ten of their last 11 appearances, getting all the way to the final three times (1997, 2013, 2024). Manchester City, the 2023 Champions League winners, have participated in this competition continuously since their debut in 2011/12, but were eliminated by Real Madrid in the round of 16 playoffs last year. Further facts can be found here.

+++ 09:09 CET: good morning from Dortmund +++We’re on the road again: today’s destination is England. In their fourth Champions League match of the current season, Borussia Dortmund will face Manchester City away. Kick-off is on Wednesday evening at 21:00 CET (live on DAZN).

Before the team sets off, they will complete their final training session at their home training ground in Dortmund-Brackel. They will then head to Dortmund Airport to fly to Manchester on the Eurowings team Airbus. BVB coach Niko Kovac and Pascal Gross will travel to the press conference at the Etihad Stadium after arrival (from 19:30 CET, live on BVB-TV).