The hosts can challenge the favorite: Sabah vs. Borussia Dortmund prediction
Sabah FK
The third-round match of the Champions League league phase between Sabah and Borussia Dortmund will take place on October 20, 2026, at the Azersun Arena. The Azerbaijani club has already secured its first historic victory in the tournament, while Dortmund are going through a slump after a strong start and have failed to win their last three competitive matches. The gap in class remains evident, but the visitors’ current form makes this clash far less straightforward.
Sabah: confidence after a historic victory
Valdas Dambrauskas’ side defeated Slavia Prague 2-0 in the previous Champions League round, scoring their first goals and keeping a clean sheet for the first time in the main tournament. Kahim Parris and Joy-Lance Mickels were the standout performers, while the victory itself showed that the debutants can do more than simply defend — they can also make the most of their chances against more experienced opponents.
It is particularly important that Sabah have looked extremely confident in their home European matches. Including the qualifying rounds, the team have won all five of their home games in this campaign. The hosts head into the clash without any significant absences, while Aleksei Isaev adds depth to the attack after scoring twice in the last match, although Mickels, Parris, Du Queiroz and Veljko Simić are once again expected to start.
Borussia Dortmund: a slump after the international break
Niko Kovač’s side have gone three matches without a win. First, Borussia squandered a 2-0 lead to draw 2-2 with Werder Bremen, then lost 0-1 to Bodø/Glimt in the Champions League before being held to a goalless draw by Union. Two consecutive clean sheets for their opponents are a rarity for Dortmund and highlight the team’s problems in the final third.
Their away record in the Champions League offers little encouragement either: the visitors have lost their last four matches in the competition on the road and risk setting an unwanted club record. Serhou Guirassy is also going through a minor dip in form — after registering six goal contributions before the break, he has failed to score or assist in his last three appearances. The return of Nico Schlotterbeck should add solidity to the defense, but to win, the visitors must first rediscover their attacking rhythm.
Match facts and head-to-head record
- Sabah have won all five of their home Champions League matches in this campaign, including the qualifying rounds.
- Borussia Dortmund have gone three competitive matches without a win.
- Dortmund have lost their last four away Champions League matches.
The visitors’ class should tell late on: Sabah vs. Borussia Dortmund prediction
Sabah head into the match without fear and have already shown that they can exploit instability in more highly regarded opponents. Their home run, lack of major absences and historic victory over Slavia give the hosts plenty of reason to believe they can score at least once and put up a competitive fight.
However, Borussia still hold the edge in individual quality and squad depth. Even amid their current slump, Kovač’s team have enough top-class players to turn the match around if they can rediscover their finishing touch. The hosts can make this a difficult contest, but the favorite should find a way to take all three points home.
