Borussia Dortmund vs Atalanta Prediction: Advantage BVB in UCL play-off tie

Borussia Dortmund and Atalanta face off on Tuesday (20:00 GMT, TNT Sports 3) in the first leg of their Uefa Champions League knockout phase play-off tie at Signal Iduna Park, with the second leg taking place next Wednesday in Bergamo, Italy.

Below are my Borussia Dortmund vs Atalanta predictions, supported by all the latest team news and match odds.

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Team News

Borussia Dortmund boss Niko Kovac must make do without Nico Schlotterbeck (muscle), Niklas Sule, Filippo Mane (both thigh) and Emre Can (groin), all of whom are injured.

Football Odds

Atalanta head coach Raffaele Palladino, meanwhile, heads to Germany without Charles De Ketelaera (knee) and Giacomo Raspadori (thigh).

Borussia Dortmund vs Atalanta Odds

Borussia Dortmund are 11/10 favourites to win on Tuesday, implying a 47.6% probability of success, while Atalanta are 12/5, or a 29.4% chance, with the draw offered at 13/5.

Jobe Bellingham To Receive A Card has been boosted from 11/4 to 3/1.

Match Result - Borussia Dortmund @ 11/10

Dortmund have lost just twice at home this season, 1-0 to Bayer Leverkusen in the DFB-Pokal on December 2, and 2-0 to Inter Milan in the Champions League on January 28.

Kovac's charges have won five of their last six games at Signal Iduna Park, including both so far this month, and they'll be going all out for the victory on Tuesday to ensure they take a lead to Bergamo next week.

Today's Football Fixtures

Atalanta, meanwhile, have only won one of their last four away matches (D2, L1), and that defeat was their last league phase encounter, a 1-0 reverse at Union Saint-Gilloise. That was the second of two away defeats in the competition, the first a 4-0 hammering at Paris Saint-Germain.

Both sides should be in a confident mood, having each won their last three games, but with home advantage, I'm backing Dortmund to secure a first-leg lead.

Anytime Goalscorer - Julian Brandt (DOR) @ 5/2

Julian Brandt has been a consistent goalscorer for Dortmund in the Bundesliga since his move from Bayer Leverkusen in the summer of 2019, but he had struggled to replicate his exploits in Europe, netting just five times in 54 continental contests heading into the 2025/26 campaign.

This season, though, the Germany international has scored three goals in seven Champions League matches, notching one in a 4-1 victory over Athletic Club on October 1 and bagging a brace in a 2-2 draw with Bodo/Glimt on December 10, with both games occurring on home soil.

Brandt's most recent strike came in his side's 2-1 Bundesliga win at VfL Wolfsburg on February 7, a goal which saw him match his best-ever scoring seasons for Dortmund in 2022/23 and 2023/24.

At 5/2, he presents solid value in the Anytime Goalscorer market on Tuesday, especially as I have the hosts winning.

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