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Borussia Dortmund vs Barcelona Preview: Odds, Tips and Predictions

Dortmund play host to Barcelona in the UEFA Champions League, here is a look at everything you need to know before these two proud European sides lock horns. Dortmund is priced up at around 18/10 and you can get as much as 13/10 on Barcelona with your local sportsbook! SportsBoom unpack everything you need to know ahead of this encounter, including all the latest odds and our prediction.

Ryan Liberty
Ryan Liberty

Last Updated: 2024-12-02

Chad Nagel

6 minutes read

Jamie Gittens of Borussia Dortmund celebrates his goal during the UEFA Champions League

Jamie Gittens celebrating his goal//Getty Images

Pre-game odds and win probability: Liverpool dominate the early markets

  1. Home: 18/10 (2.8) - 23%

  2. Draw: 24/10 (3.4) - 5%

  3. Away: 13/10 (2.3) – 73%

Head-To-Head Record

The last time these two teams saw their paths cross was back in 2019, a group stage match played both home and away for qualification into the next round.

  1. 27/11/2019: Barcelona 3–1 Dortmund

  2. 17/09/2019: Dortmund 0–0 Barcelona

Only Liverpool and Barcelona have a better goal scoring statistic than Dortmund in this season’s Champions League campaign.

Dortmund Current Form - WWLWW

Domestically Dortmund have been there, and there about. They haven’t necessarily hit the heights of recent seasons and have struggled to keep their defensive shape when exposed to prolonged moments of pressure... but there is an argument to be made that this is beginning to change. They come into this game with two back-to-back clean sheets intact. 

In Europe, however, they have shown a resilience that has seen them remain relevant in the automatic qualification places on the UEFA Champions League table. At the time of writing, they are in fourth place – where the top eight progress automatically to the round of 16. 

BVB are the best ranked German side in the competition and given the fact that they have only lost three of their last 17 matches in the competition, it’s safe to say they will welcome Barcelona with a degree of confidence. 

Key Players to Watch

  • Jamie Gittens: The top ranked player (at the time of writing) for combined goals and assists at Dortmund, Gittens has shown his incredible ability time and again. Together with Karim Adeyemi, who is returning from injury, Jamie Gittens is having one of the seasons of his career in professional 1st team football. 
  • Serhou Guirassy: One of Dortmund’s top scorers, Guirassy has been a revelation to his Bavarian side this year. The Guinean international has an incredible 5.11 expected goals contribution and whilst he might be the highest player on the field, he has also contributed to the team’s assists numbers and pressing moments – ranking 7th in the side in those combined departments!
  • Julian Brandt: A player who has not always found life easy in Germany, Julian has seemingly found his confidence – playing on the left-hand side of the Dortmund midfield – and given that he is once again assisting goals, he is a player for the big occasions. 

Dortmund Team News

Dortmund is expected to be at full strength for this encounter with Barcelona. 

Barcelona Current Form - WWWWL

I have found it rather fascinating that Barcelona have somewhat remained under the radar this season. The media is often quick to forget that this is a side who looked to be at odds and ends just a few months ago – and now sit at the upper echelons of both the La Liga and the UEFA Champions League. 

They have won four of their last five matches in the Champions League and given their devastating attack, coupled with a compact and dynamic defensive system, it is no surprise that they have shown to be an incredibly difficult side to beat. 

Key Players to Watch

  • Robert Lewandowski: He truly is a player that requires absolutely no introduction, a prolific goal scorer and powerful center forward, Lewandowski comes up against his former side and faces the Yellow Wall in Barcelona colours. 
    He will always cause trouble for defenders and Barcelona will no doubt hope he powers them through here.
  • Raphinha: In my opinion he is possibly one of the most underrated players in a European midfield. The Brazilian is tough as nails, happy to work tirelessly for his team and does so for very little praise. 
    These are the sorts of players which make a competitive team great, they can almost singlehandedly create the space and opportunity for those in front of them to showcase their talent and flair. 

Barcelona Team News

Barca have faced a few injury scares but come into this game with pretty much all of their major weapons available.

Predicted Line-Up

Dortmund: 4-3-3

Kobel; Bensebaini, Schlotterbeck, Anton, GroB; Brandt, Nmecha, Sabitzer, Gittens, Beier, Malen

Barcelona: 4-2-3-1

Pena; Kounde, Cubarsi, Martinez, Martin; Pedri, Casado; Olmo, Lopez, Raphinha; Lewandowski

Suggested Bets

For the punters amongst us, these are some of the best worth considering ahead of this Champions League clash. 

  1. Barcelona to win: The ability in this Barcelona side is incredible. They are a complete side, and I think even travelling to Germany – traditionally a difficult place to go – they should come away with all three valuable points. Barcelona is 13/10 (2.3) with 1Win and BetWinner.

  2. Both Teams to Score: Dortmund might be coming into this game with a somewhat improved defensive record – at least in the Champions League – but we don’t think they keep Barcelona out. 

    Going forward, however, they are expansive and direct – back both teams getting on the score sheet at 5/10 (0.5) with 1Win and BetWinner.

  3. Both Teams to Score + Over 2.5 goals: Expect an open encounter in Germany and given the attacking prowess available to both of these teams, both teams scoring and over 2.5 goals look to be a shrewd bet. Back this prediction at 14/25 (1.56) with 1Win.

Value Bets

  1. Both Halves Over 1.5 Goals: There is nothing about either side which suggests that their approach will be cagey or pedestrian. We think the attacking power of both sides will be on full display and you can expect a rather open game. 

    We think a value bet is both halves over 1.5 goals at 28/10 (3.8) with 1Win, BetWinner and Bet365 is worth a punt.

  2. 10 Minutes – Barcelona: Barcelona will have to ensure they get off to the ultimate start in Germany. They will want to attack that ‘Yellow Wall’ from the first whistle and put a somewhat fragile Dortmund defensive line under huge pressure. Back the visitrs to win the first ten minutes at 27/5 (6.4) with Betway and Bet365.

  3. Barcelona Highest Scoring Half (1st):  For the more conservative punter, backing Barcelona to score more in the first half might seem the safer option to our previous value bet, but at 9/4 (3.25) there is still plenty of value. 

Prediction: Barcelona to Win and Both Teams to Score 

Barcelona come into this game looking to keep up with Liverpool at the summit. Dortmund will not roll over, and playing in Germany isn’t something to be taken lightly, but we think Barcelona and both teams scoring is the pick for this encounter.

You can back this prediction at 28/10 (3.8) with 1Win, BetWinner or your local sportsbook. 

Ryan Liberty
Ryan LibertySports Writer

Ryan Liberty is an experienced sports writer whose articles have featured in some of the biggest sports publications in South Africa. With a strong understanding of all major sports and an in-depth understanding of betting, Ryan consistently delivers insightful content. He's also known for his ability to break down complex topics into engaging, reader-friendly pieces.