Manchester City vs Borussia Dortmund: Champions League Pick & Prediction, November 5, 2025
Both teams aiming to extend their unbeaten runs in the Champions League, Manchester City take on Borussia Dortmund at the Etihad Stadium on Wednesday night, November 5.
Both sides have collected seven points from their opening three games, with Borussia Dortmund marginally ahead on goal difference, and a victory for either could be a crucial step to the knockout phase.
Head-to-head History (H2H: Manchester City vs Borussia Dortmund)
Manchester City and Borussia Dortmund are no strangers in the Champions League. The two sides have met three times at the Etihad, with the hosts unbeaten across all three – winning the last two by identical 2-1 scorelines in 2021 and 2022, following a 1-1 draw in October 2012.
The Black and Yellows have scored in every one of those trips to Manchester, but they have never managed to leave with a victory. In fact, City boast an 11-match home winning streak against German opposition in European competition – a record Pep Guardiola will be determined to protect on Wednesday night.
Manchester City: Current Form and Team News
After a shaky start to the campaign, Manchester City have steadied their form both domestically and in Europe. Pep Guardiola’s men have already navigated a tricky Champions League start with wins over Napoli (2-0) and Villarreal (2-0), plus a 2-2 draw at AS Monaco.
Those results leave City well placed in the league-phase table, but notably, their six goals scored make them the lowest-scoring team inside the current top 12 – a curious statistic given their attacking firepower.
Domestically, back-to-back 3-1 victories over Swansea City (in the EFL Cup) and Bournemouth have lifted morale and returned Pep Guardiola’s side to second in the table. The Bournemouth match saw Erling Haaland bag another brace, taking him into elite company – becoming only the third player in Premier League history to score at least two goals in four or more consecutive home matches, after Liverpool duo Robbie Fowler and Luis Suárez.
The Norwegian, who scored 86 goals in 89 appearances for Dortmund, now faces his former club in exceptional form. Meanwhile, 2024 Ballon d’Or winner Rodri has recovered from a minor knock, and both were fit to feature at the weekend.
Pep Guardiola’s only absentee remains Croatian midfielder Mateo Kovacic, sidelined long-term with an ankle injury. Otherwise, City are near full strength, though Bernardo Silva is one booking away from Champions League suspension.
Borussia Dortmund: Current Form and Team News
Dortmund’s Champions League campaign so far has been nothing short of spectacular. The 2024 finalists have scored four goals in each of their three league phase matches, defeating Athletic Bilbao 4-1, drawing 4-4 with Juventus, and winning 4-2 in Copenhagen in their last game.
Their 12 goals scored are the joint second-highest total in the competition (along with Bayern Munich), trailing only PSG (13).
While their European form has been electric, Borussia Dortmund have looked far less fluent in domestic action, managing just one goal across their last three matches against FC Cologne, Eintracht Frankfurt, and Augsburg. Remarkably, they still came out on top in both Bundesliga matches by the same 1-0 scoreline, and also knocked Eintracht Frankfurt out of the DFB-Pokal following a 1-1 draw and a penalty shootout.
Defensively, the Black and Yellows appear in better shape heading into the trip to Manchester. Nico Schlotterbeck and Niklas Sule are both expected to return to action, leaving only Julien Duranville as a confirmed absentee for Niko Kovac’s side.
Young midfielder Jobe Bellingham (the younger brother of Real Madrid star Jude Bellingham) was one of Borussia Dortmund’s standout performers in the recent trip to Copenhagen, providing two assists and injecting fresh energy into Niko Kovac’s high-tempo setup.
Meanwhile, Serhou Guirassy remains Dortmund’s most potent attacking weapon, with the Guinean striker ending his brief goal drought by netting the decisive winner in Friday night’s 1-0 victory over Augsburg.
Tactical Duel: Pep Guardiola vs Niko Kovac
Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City have looked more pragmatic this season, often deploying a flexible 4-3-3 that can morph into a box midfield when in possession. The partnership between Rodri or Nico Gonzalez and Tijjani Reijnders has been key to maintaining control, while the wingers offer directness that City lacked last term. Expect Guardiola to rely on positional play and controlled tempo to wear down Dortmund’s press.
In contrast, Niko Kovac has built a Dortmund side defined by aggression and verticality. They press high, transition quickly, and rely on fluid combinations between Julian Brandt, Jobe Bellingham and Guirassy to create chaos in the final third. Dortmund’s full-backs, particularly Yan Couto, often push high to support the attack, but that could leave spaces behind for players like Savinho, Foden and Doku to exploit.
Possible Starting Lineups of Manchester City and Borussia Dortmund
Manchester City: Gianluigi Donnarumma – Matheus Nunes, John Stones, Ruben Dias, Josko Gvardiol – Nico Gonzalez – Savinho, Rico Lewis, Bernardo Silva, Jeremy Doku – Erling Haaland. (4-1-4-1)
Borussia Dortmund: Gregor Kobel – Nico Schlotterbeck, Waldemar Anton, Ramy Bensebaini – Yan Couto, Felix Nmecha, Jobe Bellingham, Daniel Svensson – Maximilian Beier, Julian Brandt – Serhou Guirassy. (3-4-2-1)
Manchester City vs Borussia Dortmund Betting Odds and Prediction
According to the latest betting odds from EveryGame, Manchester City enter Wednesday’s Champions League clash as firm -250 favorites, while Borussia Dortmund are priced at +575 to spring an upset at the Etihad. The draw stands at +425.
Given Manchester City’s dominant home record and Borussia Dortmund’s attacking potential, goals seem inevitable. However, the German side’s defensive resilience on the road – and their recent ability to strike early – suggests they won’t go quietly.
City’s superior quality and home advantage should ultimately prevail, but Dortmund’s attacking form makes them a strong candidate to find the net, as they have in all of their 14 competitive matches this season.
While Kovac’s men shouldn’t be written off – especially after their fearless trip to Munich last month – Guardiola’s side have rediscovered rhythm and control. Expect the Cityzens to extend their perfect record against German opposition at the Etihad.