Tottenham Hotspur welcome Borussia Dortmund to North London on Tuesday for a high-stakes European clash.
Victory is vital for both sides as they look to advance in the competition.
Spurs manager Thomas Frank is currently navigating a period of intense scrutiny following a demoralising 2-1 London derby loss to West Ham, marking a third consecutive defeat in all competitions.
While domestic form has stuttered, the Champions League has served as a sanctuary for Tottenham; they sit 11th in the 36-team standings and have won their first three home games without conceding a single goal.
Dortmund, meanwhile, arrive with significant momentum, currently enjoying a seven-match unbeaten run across all tournaments, though they seek to rectify a poor historical record on English soil.
Tottenham Hotspur vs Borussia Dortmund –Match Preview and Team News
Date: Tuesday, 20 January 2026
Kick-off: 20:00 GMT
Venue: Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, London
Referee: Glenn Nyberg (SWE)
VAR: Dennis Higler (NED)
Last Meeting: Tottenham 3–0 Borussia Dortmund, Feb 2019, UEFA Champions League
Team News
Tottenham Hotspur
Thomas Frank faces a dire personnel crisis, with only 11 senior outfield players available.
Ben Davies (fractured ankle) is set for surgery, joining long-term absentees James Maddison, Dejan Kulusevski, Mohammed Kudus, Joao Palhinha, Richarlison, and Rodrigo Bentancur on the sidelines.
Micky van de Ven is suspended, while January signing Conor Gallagher is ineligible for the league phase alongside Radu Dragusin and Yves Bissouma. Pape Matar Sarr is also unavailable due to illness following AFCON duty.
Borussia Dortmund
Niko Kovac’s squad is in much better health. Aaron Anselmino and Ramy Bensebaini (cold) have both returned to fitness, leaving Marcel Sabitzer (calf) as the only significant injury absentee.
A selection dilemma remains up front, where Fabio Silva is pushing to keep his spot ahead of Serhou Guirassy, while January arrivals are also vying for minutes in Kovac’s 10th-placed side.
Form
Tottenham Hotspur
The North London club has struggled for consistency in 2026, recording three straight defeats in all competitions, including losses to West Ham and Aston Villa.
Despite this, Spurs have remained formidable in Europe, beating Slavia Prague, Copenhagen, and Villarreal at home without conceding.
They currently sit just one point behind tonight’s opponents in the league phase.
Borussia Dortmund
The Bumblebees enter this fixture unbeaten in seven matches across all competitions, most recently edging St Pauli 3-2 in the Bundesliga.
While they have been potent at home, BVB have struggled on their travels in Europe, conceding 10 goals in away matches against Manchester City, Juventus, and Copenhagen this term.
Historically, they have lost seven of their last eight away games against English opposition.
Predicted Lineups
Tottenham Hotspur Predicted XI: Vicario; Porro, Romero, Danso, Spence; Gray, Bergvall; Odobert, Simons, Kolo Muani; Solanke
Borussia Dortmund Predicted XI: Kobel; Can, Anton, Schlotterbeck; Ryerson, Bellingham, Nmecha, Bensebaini; Adeyemi, Brandt; Silva
How to Watch Tottenham Hotspur vs Borussia Dortmund?
The match will be broadcast live in the UK on TNT Sports 1, with coverage starting at 19:00 GMT.
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