Champions League

Back four for BVB - How Dortmund could line-up against Zenit

Lucien Favre opted to move away from his tried and tested three-man backline against Schalke, and the change worked

9:00am on Wednesday 28th October 2020
By Martin Macdonald

Dortmund will be looking to get their Champions League group stage campaign up and running when they take on Zenit on Wednesday.

Despite heading into the first match as favourites against Lazio, the Bundesliga side lost 3-1 in Rome.

Following that defeat, Lucien Favre switched formation to a 4-2-3-1 in the weekend's fixture against Schalke, and it worked as Dortmund kept a clean sheet and won 3-0.

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With Emre Can currently missing due to coronavirus isolation, it will probably be two centre-backs against Zenit, with the returning Manuel Akanji having impressed against Schalke on Saturday. He'll partner Mats Hummels.

Jude Bellingham started the game against Lazio before being dropped for domestic action, and due to the increased level of performance from Dortmund it is likely that Thomas Delaney or Mahmoud Dahoud will partner Axel Witsel in central midfield.

The Belgian was left out of the starting XI at the weekend but will probably be reinstated for Champions League duty.

With regards to the front four, Favre may keep things as they were from Saturday with Jadon Sancho, Giovanni Reyna, and Julian Brandt supporting lone striker Erling Haaland.