Champions League: Dortmund and Sevilla Face Off for Group G Second Place

Sevilla FC vs Borussia Dortmund

Champions League action is back this week and there’s a high pressure clash at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuain to enjoy, where Sevilla host Borussia Dortmund.

Neither team had a good weekend in their domestic league and they are each looking for a European boost to get their campaigns back on track. And a big game under the floodlights is sure to get the fans pumped up; it should be a great atmosphere in Seville with a healthy dose of tension.  

The current Champions League 2022 betting odds make BVB the favourites to join Manchester City in the top two of Group G, but a win for Sevilla would shake things up, as the La Liga side could leapfrog the Germans into second place.   

But the hosts come into the game on the back of a 2-0 home defeat at the hands of Atletico Madrid, a result which leaves them one place and a single point above the La Liga drop zone; meanwhile Dortmund went down to a 1-0 defeat away to Cologne.   

Talking Points

Lopetegui needs a Champions League boost  

Sevilla’s recent slump in form has piled the pressure on head coach Julen Lopetegui and there is even some speculation that he could be an early casualty, should things not pick up rapidly.

In fairness to Lopetegui his three recent defeats have come to some pretty impressive opposition, as well as succumbing to Manchester City in the Champions League and Atleti, Los Sevillistas also lost 3-0 to Xavi’s title chasing Barcelona. 

But with just one point on the board they have an uphill battle in the Champions League too. Sevilla were thumped 4-0 by the Sky Blues and then picked up a point in a goalless draw in Copenhagen, and so anything other than a win on Wednesday will spell more trouble for the boss.      

He needs his team to play on the front foot against a Borussia side which has leaked eight goals in their last four games and experienced forwards Erik Lamela and Isco are likely to make a start. And there could also be a return for 25 year old Moroccan striker Youssef En Nesyri who started on the bench against Atletico 

Champions League 2022 results won’t necessarily save Lopetegui but a win on Wednesday would certainly help him, and his team needs to make the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuain a fortress for the visit of the Germans.

Dortmund’s Travel Sickness  

BVB opened their 2022/23 European campaign with a 3-0 win over Copenhagen and followed that up with a 2-1 loss at Manchester City, and that defeat at the Etihad was one of three away losses on the bounce. So Sevilla fans will see this as an opportunity.  

The loss to Cologne at the weekend was particularly frustrating as a win would have taken BVB clear at the top of the table. Edin Terzic’s team dominated possession and had 22 shots on goal, but Cologne had more efforts on target with ten to eight. Dortmund’s highly rated new centre back pairing of Nico Schlotterbeck and Niklas Sule were caught out too easily and that is something Terzic will look to address quickly.

BVB are currently without their injured talisman Marco Reus, who is hoping to get fit for the Qatar World Cup but will be unavailable in the busy domestic period running up to that competition. In the 33 year old’s absence, 19 year old England star Jude Bellingham was given the captain’s armband against Cologne and it will be interesting to see who leads the team for this vital European fixture.

Midfield ace Julian Brandt, who gave BVB the lead against Cologne, is another option should Terzic opt for more experience.   

History

These two teams have met four times since 2010 and won one game each. Most recently Borussia Dortmund came out on top in the 2021 Champions League Round of 16, winning 3-2 in Seville and drawing the return 2-2 at the Signal Iduna Stadium.  Erling Braut Haaland gave BVB a two goal lead on the night and while En Nesyri pulled two late goals back it was too little too late.  

Recent form favours the visitors, though Die Schwarzgelben have been hit and miss, with three wins and three defeats. Sevilla have won just one of the last six games, drawing two and losing three.    

While Borussia Dortmund have lost their last three away games, Sevilla have lost their last three at home so we’re going to see one sequence come to an end of Wednesday! 

Betting Tip

With Sevilla at SBOTOP odds of 2.69, BVB at 2.33 and the draw at 3.35, this game is wide open; but I’m backing BVB to end their losing away streak while putting more pressure on Sevilla’s beleaguered boss.   

 

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