Borussia Dortmund has to compete with Juventus Turin at the start of the league of the Champions League. BVB is confident about the new season of the European premier class – also because of the successful past.
The memory is still very present with Marcel Sabitzer. After all, you don’t experience such a sporting success every day. “I had an extremely good first year in the Champions League”said Marcel Sabitzer on Monday evening (September 15, 2025) – and shining in his eyes could not be overlooked.
Intermediate destination: round of 16 of the Champions League
The journey throughout Europe by Sabitzer with his then new club Borussia Dortmund only ended in the final. Even if the very big triumph failed and everyone involved had to swallow a bitter defeat (0: 2) against Real Madrid, it was an extraordinary trip into the London Wembley-Stadium that nobody forgot.
Now the journey begins again. “It is such a long way until the final. You shouldn’t think about that yet”Sabitzer. The BVB starts on Tuesday evening (9 p.m., in the live ticker at Sportschau.de) with an away game at Juventus Turin in the league of the European premier class.
It is about getting many points as quickly as possible, said BVB’s sports manager, Lars Ricken. “So that we can clearly get to the round of 16.”
Good memories of the Champions League 1997
Of course, Ricken in particular has a very special connection to the Italian top team. In 1997 the then 20-year-old decided the Champions League final in Munich. 16 seconds after his substitution and with his first touch of the ball, he scored 3-1 with a lupfer in the Italian goal – and made the much -acclaimed BVB success perfect. The successful past gives hope for the new season to all BVB participants.
Juventus Turin is an opponent who should demand everything from the team of coach Niko Kovac. “We know how good this team is“, said the 53-year-old in the evening before the renewed, but this time serious clash between the two teams. The latest encounter was not that long ago.
Test game against Juventus was lost
A good five weeks ago, the Italians had traveled to Dortmund for a friendly and won 2-1. “This game was certainly part of the analysis. But we also looked at games from the league, that’s more important”so Kovac.
Three games, three victories in Series A is the previous, flawless record of the “old lady” in Serie A. The self-confidence of the Juventus team should not be exactly low. “We are pleased that we are playing again in the Champions League”said Ricken. “Juve is the biggest challenge in European football when you look at the current form.”
Possibly travel after
BVB plague personnel worries. It is decided just before the game whether the battered Pascal can be large. The 34-year-old was also lacking in the final training because of a gastrointestinal infection. “He was not so good for the last two days”said Kovac, but also said: “We will see if he can’t get there tomorrow.”
Newcomer Aaron Anselmino, which suffers from muscular problems, is definitely canceled. “It was a back and forth today. Then we decided that we didn’t do it”according to the coach.
This increases the chances that Sabitzer will take one of the two positions on the double-six. Most recently in the Bundesliga, in the lack of 2-0 win in Hoffenheim, the Austrian international was only on the reserve bench for the entire duration.
Sign to the team
Trainer Kovac did not want to be looked at the cards the day before. Just so much: “We really have a very good team and a very wide and good squad. And we have five players who can take the double six.” In addition to Groß and Sabitzer, Felix Nmecha or Jobe Bellingham could also be used.
Not least because of the large personnel offer, Sabitzer was anything but demanding, but was rather strange. “Of course you would like to play every game. But it is very pleasant for the trainer because all players have different profiles. He can mix something together”according to the midfielder.
The still injured Emre Can and Nico Schlotterbeck also traveled to Turin. “There are also practical reasons for this, we stay a day longer after the game and then have a team training on site “said Ricken: “It is a good sign of the team that the two fly with them.”