Dortmund vs Barcelona prediction: EUROPE: Champions League – League phase betting tips on match 2024-12-10 20:00.
[p]Owing to four wins from five league phase games in this season’s UEFA Champions League (UCL), Borussia Dortmund come into matchday six sat in the automatic qualification spots for the last 16. They certainly can’t rest easy as ahead of the round a cluster of eight sides are now within just two points of them, so this clash with Barcelona, who sit just above them, could be key in deciding their fate.[/p]
[p]The Catalan giants certainly aren’t an ideal opponent for Dortmund then, as they’ve never won a H2H before against Barcelona (D2, L2). Hope should spring eternal that they can break their duck at home, where they’re unbeaten this season across all competitions (W8, D1), but Dortmund may have to have their shooting boots on to do so considering they haven’t kept a clean sheet in any of their last nine UCL games against Spanish sides.[/p]
[p]That’s ideal for Barça, who will accept any help they can get at the moment in an attempt to break out of their indifferent run of form (W2, D2, L2). A 2-2 draw away to Real Betis at the weekend saw Hansi Flick’s side twice squander the lead, but the German boss admitted afterwards that perhaps owed to the fact his side had half an eye on this huge clash. [/p]
[p]It wouldn’t be a huge surprise to see a response from the La Liga title challengers here, not least because Flick boasts a perfect personal managerial record against Dortmund (W5). Both away wins in that run came by slender one goal margins, but when Barça win on the road, it tends to be more emphatic, with each of their last six away victories in all competitions coming by a 3+ goal margin. [/p]
[p]Players to watch: Dortmund’s young forward Jamie Gittens has scored in four successive games, opening the scoring in each of the last three. Ferran Torres has netted in two of his three Barcelona games since returning from injury, and watch out for a late impact, as three of his last four club goals arrived after the 80th minute. [/p]
[p]Hot stat: In the opening five UCL matchdays this term, Borussia Dortmund scored the joint-most goals from the 75th minute onwards (six, level with PSV).[/p]
[p][i]Written by Chris Wilson[/i][/p]