Man City vs Dortmund: Champions League Matchday 4 Prediction & Preview | Haaland Reunion

Manchester City hosts Borussia Dortmund at the Etihad Stadium in a highly-anticipated Champions League clash on Wednesday, November 5, 2025. The Man City vs Dortmund fixture features a reunion for City's star striker Erling Haaland against his former club, with both teams level on 7 points in the league phase standings.

Match Details: Man City vs Dortmund

• Fixture: Manchester City vs Borussia Dortmund
• Competition: UEFA Champions League (League Phase, Matchday 4, 2025/26 Season)
• Venue: Etihad Stadium, Manchester
• Date: Wednesday, November 5, 2025
• Kick-Off: 8:00 PM GMT (11:00 PM EAT)

Man City vs Dortmund Preview: High-Stakes European Clash

Pep Guardiola's Manchester City will be looking to maintain their perfect home Champions League record, while Nico Kovac's Borussia Dortmund side comes in with impressive scoring form. The Man City vs Dortmund encounter sees both teams on 7 points from three games, with Dortmund holding a slightly better goal difference of +5 (12 scored, 7 conceded).

Dortmund's attack has been sensational, netting 12 goals in 3 matches, suggesting this could be a high-scoring affair at the Etihad.

Champions League Standings: Level Pegging

Both teams are well-positioned for the knockout stages, with Dortmund's high-scoring output giving them the edge in terms of goal difference.

Recent Form Analysis: Man City vs Dortmund

Manchester City Form

Last 5 Games (all competitions): W-W-L-W-W

• Overall PPG (Champions League): 2.33
• Home PPG (Champions League): 3.00

Borussia Dortmund Form

Last 5 Games (all competitions): W-W-W-W-L

• Overall PPG (Champions League): 2.33
• Away PPG (Champions League): 1.50

City's perfect home record in the Champions League is a strong indicator of their likely dominance. Dortmund's form is excellent, though their recent heavy-scoring games (including a 4-4 draw in the UCL against Juventus ) highlight potential defensive lapses.

Head-to-Head Record: Man City's Recent Edge

Manchester City has a slight historical advantage in recent Champions League meetings, winning three of the last five encounters, compared to Dortmund's single victory and one draw.

Last Meeting: 

Borussia Dortmund 0-0 Manchester City ( October 2022, Champions League)

Manchester City 2-1 Borussia Dortmund (September 2022, Champions League)

Erling Haaland scored in that previous encounter against his old club, and the Norwegian striker will be eager to repeat that feat at the Etihad.

Team News & Injury Updates

Manchester City Injury Report

• Mateo Kovacic: Ankle
• Key Players Available: Erling Haaland, Donnarumma, Phil Foden

Borussia Dortmund Injury Crisis

• Nico Schlotterbeck: awaiting final assessment

Dortmund is missing a key defender which will test their depth against City.

Tactical Breakdown: What to Expect

Manchester City: Control and Clinicality

City will dominate possession, aiming to patiently break down the Dortmund defence through intricate passing and the relentless movement of their forwards.

• Formation Focus: Attacking 4-1-4-1, controlling the tempo
• Exploitation: Using Doku's pace on the wing and Haaland's clinical finishing in the box

Key Players: Erling Haaland (striker/goal threat), Bernardo Silva (creative hub), Jérémy Doku (winger)

Borussia Dortmund: High Press and Counter-Attack

Dortmund will not simply sit back; they will look to press City high up the pitch and exploit turnovers. Their main threat will come from quick, direct attacks using the pace of their wingers to feed the main striker.

• Formation Focus: Aggressive 3-4-2-1, aiming to disrupt City's build-up
• Goal Threat: Relying on the prolific goal-scoring form of Guirassy and the wide threats of Brandt and Chukwuemeka

Key Players: Serhou Guirassy (striker), Schlotterbeck(Haland battle), Gregor Kobel (goalkeeper)

Probable Starting Line-ups

Manchester City (4-1-4-1)

GK: Donnarumma
DEF: Nunes, Dias, Stones, Aït Nouri
MID: Gonzalez, Savinho, Reijnders, Doku, Foden
FWD: Haaland

Borussia Dortmund (3-4-2-1)

GK: Kobel
DEF: Nico Schlotterbeck , Anton, Yan Couto, Bensebaini
MID: Pascal Groß, Nmecha, Maximilian Beier
FWD: Chukwuemeka , Guirassy, Brandt

Man City vs Dortmund Prediction: Final Score

Despite Dortmund's impressive scoring form, Manchester City at the Etihad remains arguably the strongest force in European football. While Dortmund is capable of scoring, City's control and the clinical nature of Erling Haaland will ensure a comfortable home victory.

Final Score Prediction: Manchester City 3-1 Borussia Dortmund

Man City vs Dortmund Betting Tips

• Manchester City to Win & Both Teams to Score (Yes)
• Erling Haaland to score two or more goals
• Over 3.5 Total Goals

Why This Champions League Match Matters

For Manchester City

A win would likely secure a position in the top five of the league phase, guaranteeing a crucial home advantage in the knockout play-offs, and cementing their status as a competition favourite.

For Borussia Dortmund

A positive result against City would be a huge statement of intent, and even a narrow loss with a goal scored would help their strong goal difference in the Champions League standings.

Stay tuned for live updates and post-match analysis of this crucial Champions League encounter between Manchester City and Borussia Dortmund at the Etihad Stadium.