Borussia Dortmund vs Athletic Bilbao prediction, H2H and probable lineups - 01.10.2025
One of the fixtures of Matchday 2 in the 2025/26 UEFA Champions League group stage will take place on Wednesday at Signal Iduna Park in Dortmund, where the local side Borussia faces Spain’s Athletic Bilbao. I’m backing a bet on goals in this clash, which comes with promising odds for success.
Match preview
Borussia Dortmund delivered one of the most thrilling matches of the opening round, drawing 4-4 with Juventus. The Germans proved their attacking prowess is still alive and kicking: it was the first time in 13 Champions League outings they’d scored more than three goals. However, defensive issues remain — Dortmund concede regularly and rarely keep a clean sheet, even on home soil.
On the bright side, their European form has been impressive — just one defeat in their last eight matches in the competition. Borussia also have a solid home record against Spanish sides: only two losses in their last 13 meetings. That should give them confidence ahead of facing Athletic.
Athletic Bilbao lost at home to Arsenal in the opening round, failing to mount a challenge late on, when both goals were conceded. That’s now three straight European defeats for the Spaniards — a worrying trend before their trip to Germany. Defensive frailty continues to haunt them, with at least two goals conceded in each of their recent matches.
Yet, Athletic have their strengths, especially on the road. In their last 11 Champions League away games, they’ve failed to score just once. Even with a weakened squad, the Lions know how to create chances, especially against teams with shaky defenses like Borussia.
Probable lineups
- Borussia Dortmund: Kobel, Ryerson, Anton, Bensebaini, Couto, Nmecha, Bellingham, Svensson, Adeyemi, Guirassy, Bayer
- Athletic Bilbao: Simon, Berchiche, Vivian, Laporte, Areso, Gomez, Jaureguizar, Ruiz de Galarreta, Navarro, Guruzeta, I. Williams
Match facts and head-to-head
- In 9 of Borussia’s last 11 Champions League matches, at least three goals have been scored
- Athletic are unbeaten against Bundesliga clubs in European competitions for six consecutive matches
- Both teams have scored in 7 of Athletic’s last 9 European away fixtures
Prediction
Both teams favor attacking football but struggle at the back. Given Borussia’s scoring power and Athletic’s fighting spirit, it makes sense to expect goals at both ends.
