Borussia Dortmund host Real Betis at Signal Iduna Park tonight in Matchday 4 of the UEFA Champions League phase, with the Spanish side sitting fifth on nine points after three straight wins while the hosts, 13th with six points, look to re-enter their winning groove, SportyTrader reported.
Betis arrive having won their first three Champions League matches, the first non-Spanish-elite club to do so since Málaga in 2013, and a result in Dortmund could seal a step of greatness. For Kovac’s side, meanwhile, the draw against Bayern Munich leaves this match as their opportunity to return to winning ways.
Guirassy leads Dortmund attack as Parrott powers Betis
- Serhou Guirassy stands out as Borussia Dortmund’s striker and leading scorer under Niko Kovac.
- Troy Parrott is Betis’s most important attacker.
- Abde Ezzalzouli generates vertigo on the left wing for Betis.
How the 2013 Málaga heartbreak still shapes this night at Signal Iduna Park
Manuel Pellegrini and Isco both lived Málaga’s 2013 Champions League quarterfinal collapse against Dortmund — a 93rd-minute equalizer by Felipe Santana followed by two late goals that ended the dream in cruel fashion, as Diario AS recounted. Pellegrini put it plainly in recent days:
“Ahora con el VAR aquello es imposible. No podría haber un off side de cinco o seis jugadores…”
That offside controversy, which felled Málaga’s momentum over a decade ago, now reads differently under VAR. Isco later exacted his own revenge at this very stadium, conquering Signal Iduna Park with Real Madrid in 2017 in a famous 1-3 win, and Joaquín — then part of that Málaga side and now a Betis shareholder and sporting director — also returns after scoring the 0-1 in that 2013 tie. The three of them now lead the verdiblanco project, and Diario AS notes that no Spanish club outside Real Madrid, Barcelona, or Atlético had won its first three Champions matches since that 2013 Málaga team — the parallel Betis is chasing tonight.
Where the table stands and what each side needs from Matchday 4
The league-phase numbers frame the stakes precisely. Betis sit fifth with nine points from three wins, seven goals scored and four conceded, riding a three-match winning streak that followed a 1-0 European win over Feyenoord and a 2-1 LaLiga victory at Málaga. Dortmund occupy 13th with six points — two wins and a loss, five goals for and four against — after a 2-2 Bundesliga draw with Bayern Munich and a 2-1 away triumph over Sabah FC, per ESPN. A win tonight returns Dortmund to their winning ways; anything less leaves them scrambling for top-24 security.
| Team | League-Phase Position | Record (W-D-L) | Points | Goals For / Against |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Real Betis | 5th | 3-0-0 | 9 | 7 / 4 |
| Borussia Dortmund | 13th | 2-0-1 | 6 | 5 / 4 |
Key matchups that will decide the tactical battle
ESPN identifies the players to watch on each side. For Dortmund, Serhou Guirassy leads the line as the side’s top scorer, with Felix Nmecha providing the midfield balance and distribution that lets the attack function. For Betis, Ireland international Troy Parrott is the most important attacker, while Morocco’s Abde Ezzalzouli generates danger down the left wing. The only prior meeting between these clubs was a friendly on August 1, 2015, which Dortmund won 2-0 through goals from Adrián Ramos and Oliver Kirch — a result that means nothing tactically but confirms there is no competitive head-to-head history to lean on.
Logistics and what comes next
Kickoff is set for Wednesday evening at Signal Iduna Park, with ESPN listing 17:00 in Argentina, Uruguay, and Chile and 15:00 in Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru, broadcast live on Disney+ Plan Premium across South America.
