Dortmund vs Villarreal Prediction 26 November 2025

🔈 Can the "Yellow Submarine" secure their first victory in this season's European campaign? One of the most intriguing matchups of the UEFA Champions League's fifth round features Borussia Dortmund facing Villarreal. The Spanish side have lost 3 out of 4 matches, which falls far short of their ambitions this season. Meanwhile, the "Bumblebees" continue to play exceptionally bold football, maintaining their position in the playoff spots. Bookmakers have considered all factors and analyzed the current form of both teams, resulting in preliminary odds that favor the German side twofold.

Head-to-Head

📊 The teams have not faced each other in official matches.

Borussia Dortmund Team Overview

🟡 Nico Kovac's squad faces an uphill battle in challenging Bayern Munich for the Bundesliga title. Currently, they trail the league leaders by nine points. This gap can largely be attributed to their recent form, with two consecutive draws against Hamburg (1-1) and Stuttgart (3-3). However, Borussia are showcasing explosive football in the Champions League. Their scoring stats are impressive, averaging 3.25 goals per match while conceding 2.75. In the last round of Europe's premier competition, the "Bees" suffered their first defeat of the campaign against Manchester City (1-4).

⚫ Last weekend, Borussia kept their fans on the edge of their seats in typical fashion. During their home encounter with Stuttgart (3-3), the "Bees" squandered a two-goal lead and failed to maintain their advantage in the dying minutes, allowing Deniz Undav to score his third goal. A key factor in dropping points was the repeated individual errors from midfield players. The expected goals statistics highlighted Dortmund's significant attacking dominance: 2.99 to 1.56. Nico Kovac urgently needs to fine-tune the defensive mechanisms if they are to achieve respectable results over the course of the season.

Villarreal Team Overview

🟡 The "Yellow Submarine" embarked on an ambitious transfer campaign this past summer, aiming to make a strong showing in this season's Champions League. However, Marcelino's squad has struggled to live up to those expectations. While losses to Tottenham (0-1) and Manchester City (0-2) can be attributed to the significant difference in class, the collapse against Cypriot side Pafos (0-1) defies explanation. Meanwhile, in their domestic league, Villarreal are among the contenders for the title, trailing the top spot by just 3 points.

📌 Over the past weekend, Villarreal secured a crucial victory in La Liga against Mallorca (2-1). This win helped close the gap on the league leaders, rekindling hopes of a title challenge among their fans. The match's standout performer was Tinitoluwa Oluwaseyi, who netted the decisive goal in the 83rd minute after coming off the bench. This marked the Canadian forward's fifth goal in all competitions for Villarreal. However, their offensive stats in the Champions League are disappointing, with an average of 0.5 goals scored and 1.5 conceded per game.

Latest news

Borussia Dortmund

📰 After dropping points in a 3-3 draw against Stuttgart, Maxi Bayer, who contributed two goals for the "Bees," expressed his frustration with the current situation: "Yeah, it sucks. You score in the 90th minute and concede in the 90th. The mood is rock bottom right now." Borussia Dortmund's head coach Niko Kovac was displeased with the young German striker's comments: "At the start of the season, he said we want to be champions, and now we're rock bottom. You shouldn't always take everything he says seriously. He probably had too much lactate in his system, and then the mind doesn't work quite right." Whether this setback will negatively affect the players' psychological state and locker room atmosphere remains to be seen.

❌ Borussia Dortmund's injury list includes Ramy Bensebaini, Niklas Süle, and Julien Duranville.

Villarreal

🎤 After their victory over Mallorca (2-1), Marcelino highlighted the fantastic attitude of his players and their willingness to give everything for the team's success: “29 points—step by step, with dignity. I want to congratulate and thank the players who give their all, regardless of the minutes they play. La Liga doesn't end today; we must keep winning. We brought on fresh players to try and break through such a tight defense. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't, but we aimed for victory. It wasn't a big risk because they created very little. The Champions League is serious business. We've completed half of the group stage and we want to win. We will head to a great stadium to face a great team, but with ambition and the desire to fight. We've played three matches in the Champions League at a very high level, and I'm absolutely confident that we'll show our best side.”

❌ In Villarreal's injury list are Pau Cabanes (knee injury), Logan Costa (knee injury), Willy Kambwala (hamstring injury), and Santiago Mourinho (leg injury).

🟨 Yellow Card Prediction

🟨 Yellow Card Prediction

The officiating team for this European clash will be led by Italian referee Davide Massa. Notably, this referee takes a firm stance against rough play, averaging around 4.7 cautions per match. In 3 of his last 8 assignments, he has even resorted to sending off a player. The visiting side needs a win this Tuesday to keep their playoff hopes alive, which will undoubtedly raise the stakes. Our pick is over 4.5 total yellow cards.

⚽ Goals Prediction

Borussia Dortmund have been impressive in their attacking phases, ranking among the leaders in the current Champions League campaign for average goals scored. However, the "Black and Yellows" struggle defensively, conceding in nearly every match. In 8 of their last 10 outings, the German side has engaged in goal exchanges with their opponents. Given Villarreal's proactive tactical approach, we expect this trend to continue. Editorial choice – both teams to score (yes).

🚩 Corner Prediction

Both clubs have registered a low number of corners in the current Champions League season: Borussia with 4.3 and Villarreal with 2.8 per game. It's worth noting a telling trend: Villarreal's last 5 matches have seen no more than 10 corner kicks in total. A similar pattern is evident in Borussia's last 5 fixtures. Editorial choice – under 10.5 total corners.

Our editorial team anticipates an action-packed match with plenty of goal-scoring opportunities. Both clubs are renowned for their high scoring ability and their determination to maximize the potential of their attacking players. However, the defensive struggles of the "Bumblebees" remain a significant concern. Current statistical trends also suggest a strong likelihood of both teams finding the back of the net. We predict a final score of 2-2. The key bet – both teams to score (yes).