Beware the Yellow Submarine! Niko Kovac warns high-flying Dortmund not to underestimate Villarreal

Borussia Dortmund kick off their 2026-27 Champions League league-phase campaign by hosting Villarreal on Tuesday evening. The German hosts arrive in sparkling form having won their opening two Bundesliga fixtures alongside progressing smoothly in the DFB-Pokal. Although Die Schwarzgelben thrashed their Spanish opponents 4-0 in this exact fixture last term, Kovac has warned against any complacency.

Kovac emphasised that Villarreal's third-place finish in La Liga last season underlines their elite pedigree on the continent. Speaking ahead of kick-off, the Croatian tactician stated: "They finished third last year and are playing in the Champions League for the second year in a row. Normally, the top three spots in Spain are locked up. If you break into that group, that really says something!"

Addressing the tactical threat posed by the visitors, he added: "They have a new coach now, but they continue to play the Spanish style with a lot of possession. They're technically very sound and very precise in their execution. When they have the ball, this team makes very few mistakes. We'll have to make sure we reduce their time in possession. When we have the ball, they can't play their game and have to defend more, which will hopefully work in our favour. It's going to be a very difficult game."

The Yellow Submarine currently languish near the foot of La Liga after registering two draws and two defeats in their opening domestic fixtures. They are also determined to make amends for a miserable European campaign last season, which saw them bow out in 35th place following seven defeats. Tuesday's trip to Westfalenstadion represents a vital opportunity for the Castellon outfit to prove their credentials against one of Europe's heavyweights.

Dortmund face a defensive reshuffle after centre-back Filippo Mane sustained an injury during the weekend’s victory over Hoffenheim. The defensive crisis is compounded by the ongoing absences of Giannis Konstantelias and Emre Can, alongside disciplinary suspensions for Nico Schlotterbeck and Ramy Bensebaini. On a positive note, Daniel Svensson and Konstantinos Karetsas are fully fit to feature after merely sitting out training to manage their workload.