Champions League Preview: Dortmund Staged a Stunning Comeback in the Last Round, Celtic Maintains a Perfect Record in All Competitions This Season

On October 2nd at 3 AM, the second round of the Champions League will see Borussia Dortmund hosting Scottish champions Celtic at their home ground.

Borussia Dortmund achieved a remarkable 4-2 comeback victory over relegation-threatened Bochum on September 28th in the fifth round of the Bundesliga. The team, trailing by two goals, turned the game around thanks to the excellent performance of their main striker Giresse, with Nmecha sealing the deal with a long-range shot after coming off the bench. After a heavy defeat to Stuttgart, Sahin regained his confidence. From the lineup perspective, Sahin, the youngest coach in Champions League history, is still experimenting with the starting eleven. The young talent Gittens, who performed well as a substitute, saw a significant drop in attack when he was placed in the starting lineup, and Schlotterbeck’s performance at the wing-back position has been inconsistent, which are issues that Dortmund needs to address.

Currently, in the Bundesliga standings, Borussia Dortmund sits fourth with three wins, one draw, and one loss. This season, after significant investment in transfers, they have launched a fierce assault on the title. In the three home games played since the start of the season, Dortmund defeated offensive-minded teams like Frankfurt, Heidenheim, and Bochum, scoring a total of eight goals, showcasing impressive attacking prowess. Notably, in their last 17 Champions League matches, Dortmund has only lost three times. In the first round of this season’s Champions League, they comfortably won 3-0 away against Club Brugge, with Gittens scoring twice in the second half to secure the win.

In terms of squad availability, Borussia Dortmund expects the return of key midfielder Sabitzer, who missed last week’s Bundesliga match due to a collision injury. Additionally, according to media speculation, Jule, Malen, and Nmecha are expected to start, but Giresse will not be rested and will remain on standby as the team still relies heavily on this top scorer for attacking prowess.

Celtic secured a resounding 6-0 victory away against St Johnstone in the sixth round of the Scottish Premiership last weekend. Japanese forward Kyogo Furuhashi scored a brace, marking his first double since rumors linked him with Manchester City. Another Japanese attacker, Daizen Maeda, also found the back of the net. In the Scottish League Cup last week, Celtic beat Falkirk 5-2 at home, advancing to the semi-finals where they will face Aberdeen on November 4th.

Currently, in the Scottish Premiership table, Celtic leads with six straight wins, maintaining a perfect defensive record this season. In the first round of the Champions League, Celtic also secured a convincing 5-1 home win against Bratislava, extending their winning streak across all competitions to nine games, showing great momentum.

In terms of squad availability, Celtic’s American center-back Carter-Vickers is set to return from a foot injury, giving manager Rodgers a fully fit squad to choose from. According to foreign media predictions, Celtic will likely continue to field Japanese attackers Kyogo Furuhashi and Daizen Maeda, while Irishman Idah and Scottish attacker Forrest will be on standby to maintain the offensive firepower.

The two teams have no previous meeting records. In this Champions League match, Borussia Dortmund aims to secure a quick victory at home to focus on preparing for their Bundesliga match against Union Berlin on October 5th, while Celtic, undefeated so far this season, will be keen to preserve their perfect record. What sparks will these two teams ignite?

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