Sabah vs Borussia Dortmund: Can Baku Become Another European Setback for Dortmund?

Sabah have already shown that their Champions League campaign cannot be judged solely by their European inexperience, and the visit of Borussia Dortmund gives them another opportunity to test that belief. Their 2–0 victory over Slavia Praha on October 13 delivered a first win in this league phase and demonstrated that they can turn a disciplined performance into a meaningful result. Dortmund arrive with a more established European reputation, but reputation alone will not settle the contest at the Baku Olympic Stadium. Niko Kovač’s team must respond after losing 1–0 away to Bodø/Glimt in their previous Champions League outing. For Sabah, the challenge is to reproduce the organisation and attacking efficiency that served them against Slavia. The match therefore offers a genuine test of whether the home side can sustain its European progress against a more experienced opponent.

The tactical question is whether Sabah can protect the central areas without allowing Dortmund’s wide players too much room to advance. UEFA’s predicted Dortmund formation is a 3-4-2-1, with Julian Ryerson and Daniel Svensson operating as wing-backs and Maximilian Beier and Ethan Nwaneri positioned behind Serhou Guirassy. That structure can create pressure from several angles, but it also places importance on the midfield’s ability to recover possession and protect the space behind the wing-backs. Sabah are projected to use a 4-3-2-1, with Ivan Lepinjica and Umarali Rakhmonaliev among the central options and Kaheem Parris and Veljko Simić supporting Joy-Lance Mickels. If Sabah can keep their defensive distances compact, they may be able to frustrate Dortmund’s attempts to build sustained attacks. Quick forward passes after regaining the ball could then become an important route toward the visitors’ penalty area.

The recent European results give both teams a clear reference point without guaranteeing what comes next. Sabah opened their campaign with a 4–0 defeat at Manchester United before responding with their 2–0 home success against Slavia Praha. Dortmund began with a 3–2 win over Villarreal but then lost in Norway, leaving them with three points from their first two league-phase matches. The contrast is not simply between an established club and a less familiar opponent; it is also between Sabah’s response to an opening defeat and Dortmund’s need to regain momentum after a European loss. The scheduling adds another consideration for the visitors, who are completing a demanding run of away fixtures across a short period. Sabah will hope that familiarity with their surroundings and confidence from the Slavia match help them make the opening stages uncomfortable for Dortmund.

In his pre-match comments published by Dortmund, Kovač described his side as the clear favourites and said they wanted and needed to win, while also stressing that the team must be sharp and show its quality as the match develops. He acknowledged Sabah’s 2–0 win over Slavia and said Dortmund were taking the opponent seriously. Those remarks establish the visitors’ stated ambition, but they also leave little room for a passive performance if the match becomes difficult. Sabah coach Valdas Dambrauskas and defender Akim Zedadka also took part in the home club’s pre-match press conference, although a detailed English transcript of their comments was not available in the sources reviewed. The confirmed team sheets will be released closer to kick-off, so the lineups below should be treated as predictions rather than official selections. The central issue is whether Dortmund can impose their greater experience without giving Sabah the space and confidence to threaten again.

🚑 Availability Report: Injuries and Doubts

The latest UEFA team-news listing identifies Sabah’s Karim Aliyev as doubtful with a hamstring problem. Dortmund are without Konstantinos Karetsas, who has a foot ligament injury, while the club’s own pre-match update also identifies Emre Can and Giannis Konstantelias as long-term absentees with cruciate ligament injuries. No other Sabah player is listed as ruled out in UEFA’s current preview. The categories below reflect the published status available before kick-off; no injury is inferred from a player’s absence from a predicted lineup.

📋 Projected Elevens and the Players to Watch

These are the predicted lineups published by UEFA ahead of the match, not confirmed starting XIs. Final selections may change when the official team sheets are released.

Three Details That Could Shape the Contest

• Sabah’s central compactness: Keeping the space between midfield and defence under control could make Dortmund work harder to find clear chances.
• Dortmund’s wing-backs: Ryerson and Svensson may provide width, but their positioning will also matter when Sabah break forward.
• First contact around Guirassy: Dortmund’s forward needs support close enough to collect second balls and sustain attacks rather than becoming isolated.

What the Coaches Have Said Before Kick-Off

Dortmund’s official pre-match report records Kovač saying his team must be sharp and that he considers Dortmund the clear favourites. He also acknowledged Sabah’s win over Slavia and said his side was treating the opponent seriously. That is a clear statement of intent, not a guarantee of an easy evening. Sabah’s official website confirms that head coach Valdas Dambrauskas and defender Akim Zedadka attended the pre-match press conference, but the available source did not provide a sufficiently detailed English transcript to quote them accurately.

Match Information

• Fixture: Sabah vs Borussia Dortmund
• Competition: UEFA Champions League, league phase
• Date: Tuesday, 20 October 2026
• Kick-off: 18:45 CEST / 20:45 local time in Baku
• Venue: Baku Olympic Stadium, Baku, Azerbaija