Borussia Dortmund prepares for Champions League opener against Villarreal

Borussia Dortmund hosts Villarreal at SIGNAL IDUNA PARK on Tuesday night for the opening match of the 2026-27 UEFA Champions League season. Head coach Niko Kovac confirmed that the team will be without Nico Schlotterbeck and Ramy Bensebaini due to suspensions, while Giannis Konstantelias, Emre Can, and Filippo Mane remain sidelined with injuries. Despite the personnel challenges, Kovac noted that Daniel Svensson and Konstantinos Karetsas are healthy and expected to be available for the match. Dortmund enters the game with a historically strong record in opening Champions League home fixtures. Kovac warned against underestimating Villarreal, citing that their current 16th-place standing in the Spanish league does not accurately reflect their actual performance level. The squad held its final training session in Brackel on Monday morning to finalize preparations before the Tuesday kickoff.

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