Mansion Sports – The Etihad Stadium is set to host another thrilling European showdown as Manchester City welcome Borussia Dortmund on matchday four of the 2025/2026 UEFA Champions League league phase. 

The encounter, expected to be one of the most intense of the group stage, will take place on Wednesday, November 5, 2025, at 20:00 local time.

Both teams enter the contest level on seven points after three matches, with Dortmund narrowly ahead of City thanks to a superior goal difference. 

With both sides showing consistent early-season form, this clash is anticipated to be among the standout fixtures of the round.

Team Conditions Ahead of the Match

Manchester City

Manchester City have shown strong form in their Champions League campaign so far. Under Josep “Pep” Guardiola, The Citizens have collected seven points from matches against Napoli, Monaco, and Villarreal. 

Convincing 2-0 wins over Napoli and Villarreal, coupled with a 2-2 draw against Monaco, highlight City’s trademark dominance in possession and control of the tempo.

However, despite their organized play, Guardiola’s men have faced some scrutiny regarding their attacking sharpness. 

Six goals in three matches is efficient, yet the manager is expected to push for more clinical finishing from his front line. 

Nevertheless, their current position — seventh in the overall league phase standings — keeps them well within contention for direct qualification to the Round of 16.

Domestically, City have rediscovered their rhythm following a surprise defeat to Aston Villa. Consecutive victories over Swansea City (3-1) and Bournemouth (3-1) have reignited their confidence, with Erling Haaland scoring twice in the latter match. 

These results lifted City to second place in the Premier League table, just six points adrift of Arsenal.

The squad’s condition has improved significantly. Haaland and Rodri — the latter recently crowned as the 2024 Ballon d’Or winner — are both fit and featured fully in City’s last Premier League match. 

The only notable absentee is Mateo Kovacic, who remains sidelined with an ankle injury, while Bernardo Silva is on the verge of suspension and will need to be managed carefully.

Borussia Dortmund

On the other side, Borussia Dortmund travel to Manchester in impressive Champions League form. 

Under Niko Kovac, Dortmund have displayed an explosive attacking style, scoring four goals in each of their three group matches: a 4-4 draw against Juventus, a 4-1 win over Athletic Bilbao, and a 4-2 victory at Copenhagen.

This prolific run makes Dortmund one of the most productive teams in the competition, level with Bayern Munich (12 goals) and just behind PSG (13 goals). 

The midfield duo of Felix Nmecha and Jobe Bellingham has been particularly instrumental — Nmecha scoring twice in the last outing, while Bellingham provided two key assists.

Their efficiency in transitions will be Dortmund’s key weapon against City’s possession-based game.

In contrast, their Bundesliga performances have shown a slight dip in attacking aggression. Despite winning their last three matches, including a penalty shootout victory over Eintracht Frankfurt in the DFB Pokal, Dortmund have averaged just one goal per match in that span.

Kovac will welcome the return of key defenders Nico Schlotterbeck and Niklas Süle, both expected to recover from injury in time for the match. However, Julien Duranville remains unavailable due to a shoulder problem. Overall, Dortmund will field an almost full-strength squad.

This encounter also carries emotional weight as Erling Haaland faces his former club, while Dortmund seek to prove they can compete toe-to-toe with one of Europe’s most complete teams.

Predicted Lineups for Manchester City vs Borussia Dortmund – November 2025

Manchester City (4-1-4-1)

With the dynamic presence of Savinho and Doku on the wings, combined with Foden’s creativity in midfield, City are expected to adopt an aggressive attacking approach from the outset.

Borussia Dortmund (3-4-2-1)

The combination of Julian Brandt and Maximilian Beier operating behind Serhou Guirassy provides Dortmund with pace and creativity, particularly on counter-attacks — a trademark element of their tactical identity.

Conclusion

The Manchester City vs Borussia Dortmund clash in November 2025 represents more than just another group stage fixture. It embodies a tactical duel between two distinct footballing philosophies: Guardiola’s meticulous, possession-based approach against Kovac’s direct, high-tempo transitions. 

Both teams share the ambition to secure early qualification for the knockout rounds, making this contest a potential classic under the bright lights of the Etihad Stadium.