Dortmund vs Bodo Glimt Prediction

🔊 Signal Iduna Park is gearing up for Wednesday's Champions League clash after Borussia Dortmund's success in the Bundesliga on Sunday. The hosts, currently holding sixth place, are determined to secure a top-8 position against the modest yet spirited Norwegian side Bodø/Glimt. Looking at the visitors' remaining schedule, it's clear their chances of reaching the playoffs, even via the top 24, are slim. Dortmund will aim to achieve their third home rout in the tournament.

Head-to-Head

📊 The teams will face each other for the first time in history.

Borussia Dortmund Team Overview

🏆 The "Yellow and Blacks" kicked off November with a trip to the UK to face Manchester City, but Nico Kovač's squad couldn't match the English powerhouse. A consolation goal from Waldemar Anton was the only bright spot in a 1-4 defeat. Two weeks later, Dortmund redeemed themselves at home with a resounding victory over Villarreal, thanks to goals from Guirassy (twice), Adeyemi, and Svensson. In addition to these matches, Borussia secured an away win against Copenhagen (4-2) and played out a thrilling 4-4 draw with Juventus in Turin during the first round. As you can see, the number four seems to follow Nico Kovač's team. With 10 points, the "Yellow and Blacks" sit in sixth place and can solidify their claim for a direct spot in the Round of 16 if they defeat Bude. Up next are clashes with Tottenham in London and Inter Milan at home.

🟡 In the Bundesliga, Borussia also appear strong, currently in third place having only lost to Bayern (1-2). On Sunday, they handled Hoffenheim at Signal Iduna Park, ending Hoffenheim's six-game unbeaten streak with a 2-0 victory. Goals from Julian Brandt and Nico Schlotterbeck extended the club's unbeaten run in the league to six matches. However, their journey in another domestic competition came to an end as Borussia narrowly lost at home to Bayer Leverkusen in the German Cup Round of 16 (0-1), marking the fifth consecutive year without this trophy. Notably, this was Dortmund's first home defeat of the season across all competitions.

Bodo/Glimt Team Overview

🏆 Bodo/Glimt, beloved by football enthusiasts for their attractive combination play, have yet to secure a victory in five rounds. After draws against Slavia Prague (2-2) and Tottenham (2-2), Kjetil Knutsen's side suffered defeats to Galatasaray (1-3), Monaco (0-1), and Juventus (2-3). These results leave the Norwegian club in 32nd place with just two points. Considering their upcoming matches against Manchester City and Atletico Madrid, it's clear the team won't qualify for the playoffs. Despite their low standing, Bodo/Glimt's goal difference isn't disastrous: they've scored 7 and conceded 11. They've only failed to score in the home game against Monaco, indicating they won't be pushovers on the road.

⚫ It's not just in the Champions League where challenges arise. In Norway's Eliteserien, Bodo/Glimt fell short of claiming the national title for a third consecutive time, finishing just one point behind Viking. Nevertheless, Knutsen's team secured a second-place finish, granting them entry into the qualifiers for next season's premier European club competition. Glimt also remain in contention in the Norwegian Cup, where they'll face Molde in the round of 16.

Latest news

Borussia Dortmund

🎙 Niko Kovac after the victory over Hoffenheim: "We kept a clean sheet and won 2-0, missing two really good chances while not allowing Hoffenheim to create anything – I'm very satisfied. We didn't let them pull us apart as they might have expected, unlike our home game against Bayer. It wasn't outstanding, but it was a deserved win. The guys had to give it their all today. The first goal was a classic attack from us. That's exactly how we practiced it – when it works in a match, it's just fantastic."

❌ Center-back Niklas Süle remains doubtful due to a toe injury. Goalkeeper Patrick Drewes and midfielder Salih Özcan are still out of the squad.

Bodo/Glimt

🎙 Kjetil Knutsen following the defeat to Juventus: "I believe we need to learn from this match. We must evaluate our performance honestly, without illusions, and be self-critical. We didn't press effectively, and our team play was lacking. When we face Borussia Dortmund away, compared to our home game against Juventus, we need to be much more cohesive. Our chances of making the playoffs? I think they are very slim."

❌ Center-back Jostein Gundersen will miss the match due to a red card. Another center-back, Haitam Aleesami, is injured, as is forward Ola Brynhildsen.

🟨 Referee and Yellow Cards

🟨 Referee and Yellow Cards

Erik Lambrechts has been appointed as the chief referee at Signal Iduna Park. In his last ten matches, the Belgian referee has averaged five yellow cards per game. After PSG, Dortmund are the most disciplined team in the tournament, having received only five bookings over five rounds. Bodø/Glimt also show discipline, with seven yellow cards in five games. In terms of fouls, the visitors appear cleaner: 49 fouls compared to Borussia's 63. Given that these are two 'well-mannered' sides, we predict under 4 yellow cards, a trend that has held in all five of Dortmund's Champions League matches.

⚽ Goal Prediction

Considering the styles of both teams, we opt for over 2.5 goals. This has been the outcome in all five of Dortmund's matches and in four out of five for the Norwegians. We wouldn't rule out Bodø capitalizing on one of their few chances.

🚩 Corner Prediction

Over five rounds, Borussia have taken 20 corners, while Bodø have taken 22 (averaging four per match). For those who like to take risks, consider individual total for Bodø/Glimt over 3.5 corners—a bet that has hit in six consecutive matches for the Norwegian side.

Borussia appear to be the clear favorites for several reasons: home advantage, league level, player quality, tournament motivation, and more. Since 2018, Kjetil Knutsen has been shaping a team of talented Scandinavian youth into a side with a vibrant attacking style, yet Bodo are still far from being a top club. Our prediction: Borussia to win with a -1.5 handicap. Considering both teams share a similar playing philosophy, we anticipate goals from both sides – a 4-1 scoreline is expected. Perhaps the number four will continue to follow the Dortmund club this time around as well.