Chaos in Europe: Dortmund and Juventus Share 4-4 Classic - Match Analysis

Chaos in Europe: Dortmund and Juventus Share 4-4 Classic - Match Analysis

Borussia Dortmund and their travelling pack of faithful fans feared the idea of facing Juventus when the matchday one tie was confirmed. Die Schwarzgelben’s record against Italian sides in Europe had seen them win 13 times in 40 games, and whilst this replay of the 1997 Champions League Final did not do any favours for the Germans’ poor record. It at least reminded us of why the Champions League is so adored.

MADNESS 😱🤯#UCL pic.twitter.com/Fu1aZyXzxe

— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) September 16, 2025

Before a ball was even kicked, it was clear that both teams were preparing to line up in a back three formation (3-4-2-1, to be specific). The similarities in the structures of each outfit shone throughout the game, yet it wasn’t just the starting elevens that would’ve gone down well in a game of snap; it was the scoreline too.

If you had unfortunately found yourself in traffic, which led to you missing the first half, lucky you. Juventus and Dortmund spent the opening forty-five minutes building out from the back and passing the ball between the trio of centre halves as if they were trying to run the clock down.

The sets of wing-backs - who were vital in this match - would play a huge part in driving the ball forward once the central midfield duos and defensive trios had found a way to bypass any oncoming pressure. However, both teams insisted on driving the ball back into the centre of the field once the attack reached the final third, instead of crossing, which quite frankly, did not work. As a consequence, Jonathan David and Lois Openda were starved of touches.

Another key tactical aspect, which would end up having an impact later on, was how the outside two in the back three would also join in when attacking on the flanks. Julian Ryerson and Pierre Kalulu, the two right sided defenders for each team, are both traditionally wing-backs, and therefore were very effective in supporting Yan Couto and Weston McKennie. Kalulu’s presence on the right wing allowed McKennie, well-versed as a central midfielder, to add an extra body in the middle of the park, providing a passing option or cover if Dortmund were to regain possession and break.

Julian Ryerson (pictured on the ball) positioned highly for Borussia Dortmund on the right wing.

Whilst a clear game plan was shown, hardly a single threatening chance was created in the first half, as the defensive structures, which rapidly turned into a back five when backtracking, shut down any danger.

It came as no surprise that Kephren Thuram had a 90% pass accuracy rate and a 100% long ball accuracy rate on the night. The Frenchman ran the Juve midfield, picking up the ball in a deep position and picking out line-breaking passes.

If Niko Kovač could take a single positive from Dortmund’s first-half performance, it would’ve been the side’s A-tier pressing; BVB worked like clockwork to stalk down any Juve player given more than a single touch on the ball.

Borussia Dortmund players press Kenan Yildiz (pictured on the ball), surrounding the Juventus attacker.

To summarise, in total, there were just two shots on target in the first half, and a combined total of 0.67 xG. Dortmund did not have a single shot in the box, and it was clear that defences were on top form, and attacks were struggling to click.

The pair of Croatian managers must’ve given some team talk over the interval; you knew you were watching a completely different match after the break when Openda attempted a bicycle kick within 30 seconds of the commencing whistle.

The 41,497 fans watched on in jealousy, as goals flew in left, right and centre at other UCL matches. Commentator Mike Minay exclaimed, “They couldn’t lend us a goal, could they?” after another six minutes passed in what could be the closest thing to sorcery we have seen since Gandalf uttered, “You shall not pass!”

Karim Adeyemi, who had looked the most threatening forward on the pitch, broke a personal 12-game goal drought, as well as the one that had been occurring in Turin for the first 51 minutes. The German’s electricity needs no introduction, simply too quick for Bremer or Lloyd Kelly to react as he darted to his left and rocketed the ball into the bottom right corner from outside the box.

The Old Lady reacted to Dortmund’s opener well, instantly driving up the intensity. You could see Thuram and Teun Koopmeiners position themselves further up the pitch in an attempt to force an equaliser.

A reward of their presistent tactical approach, Juventus’ first goal came from Koopmeiners and Joao Mario’s work on the wing, Mario dribbled the ball into the centre of the pitch before handing it to Kenan Yildiz, and from there it was yet another moment of pure individual brilliance, the 20-year-old Turk only score bangers, using his outstanding ability to curve the ball into the top right corner from outside the box.

🇹🇷🪄 Kenan Yıldız (20) for Juventus this season...

• 🅰️🅰️ vs Parma
• ❌ vs Genoa
• ⚽️🅰️ vs Inter
• ⚽️🅰️ vs Borussia Dortmund

6 goal contributions in 4 matches. ⭐️ pic.twitter.com/bflcX0wonx

— EuroFoot (@eurofootcom) September 16, 2025

The Allianz, painted in black and white, burst into colour.

The ball was in play for 30 seconds before Dortmund hit back again. Yet another goal from outside the box. Yan Couto, who worked tirelessly on Dortmund’s right wing all game, drove the ball down the pitch before giving it to Adeyemi who looked like he was going to shoot, luckily he did not and instead found the time to poke the ball to Nmecha who hit a pile driver past a helpless Michele Di Gregorio, sprinting away to the sea of Dortmund shirts in the away end.

The double substitution that saw Dusan Vlahovic and the aforementioned Mario enter the field revolutionised Juventus’ game. The Serbian forward provided the second equaliser of the game by timing his run to perfection latching onto the end of a threaded through ball from Yildiz. Way too quick for Anton and Bensebaini, the goal completely exposed Dortmund’s defence and highlighted how open the fixture had become in the space of 10 minutes.

The Old Lady looked a lot more comfortable now that Vlahovic was on the pitch, the forward commanded and received service, and for a moment, Juventus looked like they would be the ones to go in front for the first time.

But of course, they were not. Dortmund took the lead once again with 15 to go, in a move that swept from one corner of the field to the other. A throw-in near Dortmund’s corner flag was travelled swiftly to Couto on the right wing via substitute Julian Brandt. Couto, one of Dortmund’s best players on the night, demonstrated why the wing-backs were so important in this game, catching Juve’s defence off guard by shooting from a far angle, a memorable first BVB goal for the Brazilian. A strike that was simply too fast for Di Gregorio, who was beaten at his near post. The Italian goalkeeper made just one save all night and conceded four from an xGOT of 2.2.

Yan Couto' (pictured on the ball) in an advanced position for Borussia Dortmund's third goal, highlighting the narrow angle moments before his shot.

A refreshing aspect of this game was that there had been no controversy or drama surrounding VAR… until the 82nd minute. Juventus’ tired defence had pushed high up the pitch, and were exposed by a quick counter. Once Juve’s defence finally caught up, Jobe Bellingham and Guirassy were already in the box. The Guinean forward, who had been muted by Kelly and Bremer all game, hit a shot which looked goal-bound, until Kelly heroically dived in the way.

What appeared to be a valiant action quickly became a game-changing moment as referee Francois Letexier pointed to the spot, the ball had struck Kelly’s arm as he dove to the ground, an arm which was supporting the player's fall, and arguably in a natural position.

The drama continued as Ramy Bensebaini and Guirassy found themselves in an argument over who was going to take the penalty. Guirassy had previously been Dortmund’s penalty taker, and as the man who had won the spot kick, felt it was his job. However, after his penalty miss against St. Pauli in the Bundesliga, the striker evidently had been demoted from his role. Regardless, the penalty was coolly converted by the Algerian defender, and Dortmund looked like they were about to earn a historical win in Turin as the match kicked off once again with less than four minutes until the ninety was up.

But it wasn’t over. Juventus’ goal music would’ve led a blind person to mistake this game for a Daft Punk concert, after the number of times the millennial dance hit ‘One More Time’ rang out in the Allianz Stadium during the second half. Kalulu’s extremely high positioning created the seventh goal of the game, as the French defender regained possession for Juventus on the right-hand side of the final third. His inch-perfect cross found the head of a pouncing Vlahovic, who scored his second of the night.

Pierre Kalulu (number 15, bottom centre of the picture) positions himself in the attacking third, ready to intercept the ball, and provide the cross that assists Juventus' third goal.

A classic move, when hunting for a late goal, is to deploy a tall centre half in a forward position, in a last-ditch roll of the dice to find a goal.

It is important to note that the home side would’ve left this game empty-handed if it wasn’t for Vlahovic. Although he was not the scorer, his most impressive work of the day came in the 96th minute when he positioned himself on the right wing for the final attack, confusing Dortmund’s defence as the Serb had hardly drifted away from the centre of the pitch since his cameo began. Expecting the powerful forward to find a shooting position, the Dortmund defenders were even more shocked when Bristol City academy graduate, Kelly, snuck into the box. Vlahovic appeared to cut inside, but changed his mind and struck a cross that found a flying Kelly, completely free after a quick movement saw him surpass a sauntering Dortmund defence.

⚽⚽🅰️

Vlahović 👏👏#UCL pic.twitter.com/U7srIyyGds

— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) September 16, 2025

Whilst the away team had not made a single cross all evening, two late balls into the box meant that Juventus had completed an ultimate comeback that Newcastle and Arsenal would be proud of. Leaving half of the Juve fans full of glee, and the other half that had left the game, wanting to beat the post-match rush, sprinting back to the arena as quickly as they could.

All pictures are taken from and credited to TNT Sports' coverage of Juventus vs Borussia Dortmund.