Borussia Dortmund vs Lille preview, H2H, team news, line-ups, and prediction

Borussia Dortmund will hope to make it three consecutive wins in a row across all competitions when they welcome Lille to the Signal Iduna Park on Tuesday night in a crucial UEFA Champions League round of 16 first-leg clash.

Dortmund effectively secured their place in the Champions League last 16 with a commanding 3-0 first-leg victory over Sporting in their playoff tie. This comfortable advantage meant they only needed to avoid a disaster at home, which they managed with a goalless draw—progressing to the knockout rounds for the sixth time in their last seven campaigns.

Despite struggles in the Bundesliga this season, the competition has been a welcome escape for them. However, with Niko Kovač now steering the ship, Die Borussen appear to be regaining their form domestically. A ruthless 6-0 demolition of Union Berlin on February 22 was followed by a composed 2-0 victory over St. Pauli at home.

Heading into this fixture, Dortmund have lost just once in their last five matches across all competitions, winning three and drawing one. They have netted 11 times while conceding just twice, keeping an impressive four clean sheets. Their latest outing saw them defeat St. Pauli 2-0 away, and they will be eager to build on this positive momentum.

Serhou Guirassy, the Champions League’s top scorer with 10 goals, continued his prolific form by opening the scoring, while Karim Adeyemi sealed the win as Borussia Dortmund secured back-to-back Bundesliga victories for the first time this season.

The 28-year-old has been a standout performer for the Black & Yellow, amassing an incredible 24 goals and five assists in just 32 games. His tally includes 14 goals and two assists in the Bundesliga, alongside 10 goals and three assists in 10 Champions League appearances. He will aim to maintain this exceptional form moving forward.

Despite their recent resurgence, Kovac’s side remains stuck in mid-table, with significant ground to cover in the league. Given this, advancing further in the Champions League could offer them the best route to securing a place in the 2025-26 tournament, but fans will still not be rushing out to buy their Champions League final tickets any time soon.

Meanwhile, Lille approach this clash in inconsistent form, having won just twice in their last five outings across all competitions while suffering three defeats. During this period, they have scored seven goals but conceded eight, highlighting defensive vulnerabilities. Their last match ended in a heavy 4-1 loss to PSG, and they will be desperate for a response.

Lille aim to capitalize on Dortmund’s struggles at Signal Iduna Park, where the hosts have managed just two wins in their last nine competitive home fixtures. The French side is chasing a historic milestone, having never advanced beyond the Champions League last-16 stage.

Their journey in this season’s competition has been remarkable, starting from the qualifiers and finishing seventh in the 36-team league phase. Along the way, the 2020-21 Ligue 1 champions pulled off impressive victories against both Madrid giants and dismantled Feyenoord 6-1.

Les Dogues’ clinical edge in the final third played a key role in their direct passage to the last eight, as Bruno Genesio’s squad boasted the best conversion rate in the league phase at 22.7%. However, their attacking prowess was put to the test in their most recent outing, suffering a humbling defeat on Saturday night.

Lille endured a heavy 4-1 defeat to Paris Saint-Germain in Ligue 1, though Jonathan David’s late strike ensured they extended their scoring streak to 11 consecutive matches across all competitions ahead of their long-awaited return to Signal Iduna Park.

David has been Lille’s standout performer for several seasons, consistently delivering goals. At just 25, he has already made 220 appearances for the club, tallying 105 goals and 26 assists. This season alone, he has amassed 21 goals and nine assists in all competitions, including six goals and one assist in eight Champions League outings. He will aim to continue his fine form.

Tuesday’s showdown will be the first meeting between Dortmund and Lille in over 22 years. Their only previous encounters came in the 2001-02 UEFA Cup last 16, where the German side progressed on away goals after a 1-1 aggregate draw.

Borussia Dortmund vs Lille match details

• Date: Tuesday, 4th March, 2025
• Location: Dortmund, Germany
• Venue: Signal Iduna Park
• Kick-off time: 08:00 PM GMT, 09:00 PM CET
• Referee: José María Sánchez
• Assistant referees: Raúl Cabañero, Iñigo Prieto
• VAR: Juan Martínez Munuera
• Assistant VAR: Jarred Gillett
• Fourth official: Alejandro Muñiz Ruiz
• Tickets: Fans can buy Champions League tickets via the clubs or through trusted online resellers

Match stats and head-to-head

• Having won two consecutive games, Dortmund will look to secure three wins in a row in all competitions for the first time this season.

• Lille have lost three of their last five games across all competitions.

• Dortmund’s forward and Guinea international Serhou Guirassy has been in exceptional form, netting five goals in his last two appearances. He is now only the third Dortmund player—after Robert Lewandowski and Erling Haaland—to reach double figures in a single Champions League campaign.

• Lille have historically struggled against German opposition, winning just twice in 11 European meetings (D4, L5).

• Die Borussen have lost only one of their last 16 UEFA Champions League games played at the Signal Iduna Park while winning 10 and recording five draws in that run.

• The Bundesliga outfit are unbeaten in their last five knockout games in the UEFA Champions League, winning four and recording one draw.

• Dortmund and Lille will face each other for the first time in over 22 years, with their only previous encounters coming in the 2001-02 UEFA Cup last 16. The Bundesliga side progressed on away goals after both legs ended in a 1-1 aggregate draw.

• Les Dogues have scored and also conceded in their last six games in the UEFA Champions League.

• Dortmund’s recent defensive solidity under Niko Kovač is commendable, as they have won their last two Bundesliga matches with an 8-0 aggregate scoreline.

Team news

Dortmund head into the first leg with a relatively fit squad, though Felix Nmecha (knee) and Filippo Mane (muscle) remain unavailable. Julian Ryerson is also a doubt after missing the St. Pauli win due to illness, but Yan Couto’s solid display at right-back may allow Kovac to avoid rushing him back. Meanwhile, Julian Brandt will be aiming to equal a club record, needing just one more assist to match Ousmane Dembélé’s tally of six in a single Champions League season, set in 2016-17.

For Lille, their talisman Jonathan David is on the brink of making club history, needing just one more goal to become the club’s all-time top scorer in major European competitions. The Canadian striker, set to be at the heart of a fierce summer transfer battle, was a second-half substitute against PSG but is expected to return to the starting eleven ahead of Chuba Akpom.

In midfield, either André Gomes or promising youngster Ayyoub Bouaddi will step in for the ineligible Nabil Bentaleb.

Lille will also be without Tiago Santos (ACL), Samuel Umtiti (calf), and Edon Zhegrova (groin) for this crucial clash

Predicted starting lineup

Borussia Dortmund predicted starting lineup:

Kobel; Couto, Can, Schlotterbeck, Bensebaini; Sabitzer, Gross; Adeyemi, Brandt, Gittens; Guirassy.

Lille predicted starting lineup:

Chevalier; Meunier, Diakite, Alexsandro, Gudmundsson; Andre, Bouaddi; Haraldsson, Angel Gomes, Bakker; David

Prediction

Borussia Dortmund have found defensive stability under Niko Kovač, securing four clean sheets in their last five matches across all competitions. This newfound control will be crucial as they prepare to host Lille, who were recently dismantled by PSG. That heavy defeat exposed vulnerabilities in Lille’s backline, raising concerns that similar struggles could resurface against a well-organized Dortmund side.

Given their strong home form at the Westfalenstadion, Dortmund will be confident of capitalizing on their defensive solidity and attacking firepower to secure a crucial first-leg advantage before travelling to Stade Pierre-Mauroy in France for the second leg.

We’re predicting a 3-1 win for Dortmund.