Borussia Dortmund face an uphill battle heading into the second leg of their UEFA Champions League quarter-final, trailing Barcelona by four goals after being hammered 4-0 in last week’s clash in Spain.
While BVB defied expectations by reaching the Champions League final last season despite a disappointing Bundesliga campaign, their domestic form has dropped even further this campaign.
Yet somehow, they’ve once again managed to make a deep run in Europe—though that journey looks destined to end at this stage following their heavy defeat at the Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys.
Still, BVB showed some backbone in domestic action over the weekend, grinding out a hard-fought 2-2 draw with Bayern Munich at the Allianz Arena in a spirited edition of Der Klassiker.
Barcelona, meanwhile, are firmly in control of the tie and already have one foot in the semi-finals after their emphatic performance last Wednesday.
The Spanish top-flight leaders followed that up with a narrow 1-0 win over Leganes, although the victory came with a setback—Alejandro Balde limped off with a hamstring issue and is unlikely to feature in the return leg. Gerard Martin is expected to slot in at left-back as the Catalans look to finish the job in Germany.
The Sporting News looks at the key details ahead of this game, including how to watch the match, kickoff times and the latest lineup news.
Borussia Dortmund vs. Barcelona live stream, TV channel
Here’s how to watch this Champions League match in the U.S.:
TV channel: —
Live stream: Paramount+
This game is not available for live TV broadcast in the United States. Streaming options are available on Paramount+, which is offering a FREE trial to new subscribers.
What time does Borussia Dortmund vs. Barcelona kick off?
This Champions League clash takes place at the Signal Iduna Park in Dortmund, Germany and kicks off on Tuesday, April 15 at 9:00 p.m. local time.
Here’s how that time translates across the U.S:
| Date | Kickoff time | |
| Eastern Time | Tue, Apr. 15 | 3:00 p.m. |
| Central Time | Tue, Apr. 15 | 2:00 p.m. |
| Mountain Time | Tue, Apr. 15 | 1:00 p.m. |
| Pacific Time | Tue, Apr. 15 | 12:00 p.m. |
Borussia Dortmund vs. Barcelona predicted lineups, team news
Borussia Dortmund will be thrilled to have Pascal Gross back in the mix for Tuesday’s Champions League showdown, after the midfield maestro sat out the first leg due to suspension. The ex-Brighton midfielder ran the show in Der Klassiker, and he’s expected to slot right back into the thick of it against Barcelona.
However, not everything’s rosy on the injury front. Niko Kovac will still be without key duo Marcel Sabitzer and Nico Schlotterbeck, both nursing knee injuries — and in Schlotterbeck’s case, it’s a long road to recovery with months on the sidelines ahead.
Tactically, Kovac has been tinkering lately, flirting with a back three. But with Dortmund needing to throw the kitchen sink at Barcelona to keep their Champions League dreams alive, he may revert to the more familiar 4-2-3-1 setup. That likely spells a seat on the bench for Niklas Sule, as the focus shifts from cautious buildup to full-throttle attack.
Borussia Dortmund predicted XI (4-2-3-1, right to left): Kobel (GK) — Ryerson, Can, Anton, Bensebaini — Gross, Nmecha — Gittens, Brandt, Adeyemi — Guirassy.
Injured: Marcel Sabitzer, Nico Schlotterbeck.
Suspended: None.
Barcelona’s weekend win over Leganes didn’t come without its fair share of bumps and bruises. Left-back Alejandro Balde pulled up with a hamstring issue that’s set to keep him out of action until month’s end—tough timing with a trip to Signal Iduna Park looming large.
Fortunately for Xavi’s men, Gerard Martin is waiting in the wings and should slide straight into Balde’s spot in the back line. But he won’t be the only fresh face on the sidelines. Marc-Andre ter Stegen, Marc Casado, and Marc Bernal are all nursing knee injuries and won’t be suiting up anytime soon.
Upfield, Dani Olmo’s adductor is still giving him grief, and he looks unlikely to recover in time. That opens the door once again for Fermin Lopez to pull the strings in the No. 10 role, especially after teeing up Lewandowski’s second in the first leg. With Gavi breathing down his neck, Lopez will be keen to deliver the goods and keep his name on the team sheet.
Barcelona predicted XI (4-2-3-1, right to left): Szczesny (GK) — Kounde, Araujo, Cubarsi, Martin — Pedri, De Jong — Yamal, Lopez, Raphinha — Lewandowski.
Injured: Alejandro Balde, Marc-Andre ter Stegen, Marc Casado, Marc Bernal.
Suspended: None.
Champions League fixture schedule this week
All times ET
Tuesday, April 15
- Borussia Dortmund vs. Barcelona (3:00 p.m.)
- Aston Villa vs. Paris Saint-Germain (3:00 p.m.)
Wednesday, April 16
- Inter Milan vs. Bayern Munich (3:00 p.m.)
- Real Madrid vs. Arsenal (3:00 p.m.)
