Tottenham Hotspur

Our recent home record in European competitions is quite remarkable.

Since a 1-0 UEFA Champions League round of 16 first leg loss to RB Leipzig in February, 2020 - almost six years ago - we have not tasted defeat in a home European game.

In that time, we have faced 23 games in Europe - 13 in the Europa League, seven in the Champions League and three in the Europa Conference League with a record of won 19 and drawn four.

We have scored 63 goals in that time and conceded just 13 goals while we have kept 14 clean sheets along the way.

Record vs Borussia Dortmund

We also have a strong recent record against tonight's visitors, winning four of our six competitive meetings with them to date.

Despite losing our first two meetings with the German side, falling in both legs of our Europa League round of 16 tie with them in the 2015/16 season, we have won four consecutive games against them - all in the Champions League.

We first triumphed against them in two group games in the 2017/18 season, winning 3-1 at home before triumphing 2-1 at Signal Iduna Park.

We then defeated them across both legs of our round of 16 tie against them in 2018/18, enjoying an emphatic 3-0 win at Wembley Stadium and then winning 1-0 on the continent.

Martha Thomas got off to the perfect start for loan club Liverpool on Sunday as she grabbed a goal on her debut in a 6-0 win over London Bees in the Adobe Women’s FA Cup.

Having joined the Reds last week on a loan deal for the remainder of the 2025/26 campaign, the Scotland international was named in their starting XI for the cup clash at The Hive and, just after the half-hour mark, she opened her account for the Merseyside club.

Latching on to Alejandre Bernabe’s cross into the box, the experienced forward was there to send a clever looping header over the home side’s shot stopper and into the back of the net to make it 3-0 in the contest after Denise O’Sullivan and Mia Enderby fired them into a two-goal advantage.

The Barclays Women’s Super League added three further goals in the second period, with Gemma Evans and a brace from Alice Bergstrom rounding off a convincing win for the Reds and securing their spot in the fifth round of the competition.

Martha went on to complete a full 90 minutes on her debut for Liverpool.

This season, our Official Matchday Programme brings fans a collection of photos sourced from a deep dive into our Mirrorpix photography archive, most of which have never been seen before.

We'll bring you a taster of the gallery here on tottenhamhotspur.com...

Next up, a special on legendary double-winner Cliff Jones - scorer of our first-ever goal in the European Cup (now UEFA Champions League) back in 1961...

Above - Cliff celebrates a late equaliser in a 1-1 draw with Chelsea at White Hart Lane in October 1964...

"Borussia Dortmund always want to attack - but Niko Kovač has provided the defensive stability needed to compete. A prolific Champions League scorer, threats all over the pitch and experience in this competition make them a tough proposition..."

Rob Daly, official club commentator, presenter and pundit

Can Spurs stop Dortmund's number nine?

Serhou Guirassy’s debut UEFA Champions League season ended with him finishing as the competition’s top scorer with 13 goals in 14 games. The 29-year-old is a ruthless penalty box finisher, with a tall frame, quick feet and a physicality that makes him hard to dispossess. He ended 2024/25 with 38 goals total but hasn’t been as prolific this season, with Niko Kovač acknowledging back in October that they needed to manage the Guinea international given how much football he’d played over the previous. Luckily for Dortmund, Fabio Silva is finding his feet after a summer move from Wolves. Fans have been enamoured by his work rate and creativity, with the Portuguese striker starting last week’s 3-0 win over Bremen, rather than Guirassy.

How is Jobe Bellingham getting on?

Borussia Dortmund have plenty of midfield experience, like Emre Can and Marcel Sabitzer, however Jobe Bellingham, a £32m acquisition from Sunderland, has been brought in to add energy. The step up hasn’t come without its pitfall moments, including an error clearing the ball against Bayern that saw Michael Olise score the winner, plus he picked up a red card last month against Freiburg. Bellingham’s been limited to five Bundesliga starts, but tactics have dictated this too, with Kovač starting him in a 10 position behind two strikers on opening weekend against St Pauli (a 3-3 draw), before switching to three forwards instead. "I really have no doubts about him,” said Kovač recently of the 20-year-old, named 2024/25 EFL Championship Young Player of the Year. “On the contrary, I know what he can do. We're building him up gradually here, actually faster than I expected myself. The boy really has a lot of quality."

Who else should Spurs be wary of?

Nico Schlotterbeck is a premium centre-back, one who has improved under Kovač playing in a three-man defence, boasting a great left foot and experience of having played in the 2024 Champions League final. Karim Adeyemi is extraordinarily fast – able to play out wide or at the point of the attack. Consistency can sometimes be an issue, but when he’s on it, the German international is extremely difficult to stop. Gregor Kobel is having a very consistent season in goal, Felix Nmecha anchors midfield while Julian Ryerson is one of the most energetic wingbacks around – providing 7 assists so far this season, the most in the team.

What's been Niko Kovač impact?

Niko Kovač was brought in a year ago after Nuri Şahin’s brief reign came to an end, with managing director Lars Ricken saying: “Niko's teams have always been characterised by energy, determination and a sense of the importance of team spirit." There’s no denying that – especially when you look back to the Croatian’s Eintracht Frankfurt side that reached two German cup finals, winning one (in 2018), before Bayern came calling. In fact, he was in the dugout for Bayern’s 7-2 win here in the 2019/20 season, before departing not long after. He’s brought a much needed stability to Dortmund – having suffered just one league defeat this season (to Bayern). With Kovač now favouring a 3-4-3, wing-backs provide the team’s width, with narrow forwards operating behind a central striker. This is the part of the reason Dortmund had little issue in allowing Jamie Gittens, an out-and-out winger, join Chelsea in the summer.

Preview | Rob joins Ben and Clive for Dortmund analysis

Hanna Wijk spoke of her excitement at the new chapter of her career as she made the switch from Sweden to north London earlier this month and how a dream has now become a reality.

“I got goosebumps when I put on the shirt,” Hanna Wijk revealed on her first day at Hotspur Way earlier this month as she embarked on a new adventure, joining us on a long-term deal from BK Häcken.

And it’s quite a big step for the young defender as, despite having plenty of senior experience at the age of just 22 with over 150 competitive games under her belt, this is the first time that she has moved out of her homeland of Sweden for her footballing exploits.

Spending nearly six years at Häcken, where she went from featuring in the Under-19s side to becoming one of the first names on their teamsheet in recent seasons, the Sweden international felt it was the perfect time at this stage in her career to change her scenery.

While she made her debut for the Club at the weekend, coming on as a second half substitute in our Women’s FA Cup win over Leicester City, Hanna spoke to us, prior to the game, about adapting to a completely new environment and one particular aspect that has opened her eyes in her first few weeks.

“I’ve really liked it so far,” speaking to us in the official matchday programme on Sunday. “Everyone has been so welcoming and it feels like a really good group. The training has been fun with Martin [Ho] and the rest of the staff, so I’m really enjoying it.

“I think it has to be how many people are involved behind the scenes,” Hanna replied, having been asked what has surprised her so far. “There are so many staff members – in the gym, with nutrition and out on the pitch - I don’t even know all the names yet! But it’s really good because there are so many people helping us become better players.

“At Häcken, there were also a lot of people helping you develop, but here it feels like you have everything you need in one place. There are two or three people in each area and everything is very organised. I have felt welcomed from everyone, plus it’s a really nice group and I enjoy going to training and playing with them.

“Obviously some stuff has been difficult at times. Everything is new – new people, a new country and new ways of doing things. It’s also the first time I’ve lived away from my family, as I’ve always lived close to them. So, there are a lot of phone calls in the evenings, but it’s getting easier and easier.”

Asked about what she wants to do in London once settled, she added: “I’d love to go to the theatre, but also to see the Harry Potter experience I’ve heard about. I also want to explore food markets and try restaurants around the city.”

Joining midway through a campaign can be a daunting experience, especially bonding with new team-mates in a busy period with non-stop games, but Hanna already has a few familiar faces to call upon.

From her time in Gothenburg in recent years, she has played alongside Josefine Rybrink and Anna Csiki while, on the international stage, the attack-minded full-back spent her first senior international camp with Matilda Vinberg.

However, Hanna wasn’t the only player from Hacken to have made the move to north London this winter – with young forward Matilda Nildén also penning a long-term deal with the Club.

Having built a close relationship over the last two seasons in the yellow and black with Matilda, Hanna also spoke about the importance of being together in north London and supporting each other in completely new surroundings.

“We came here together, which has been really helpful for both of us,” she added. “We feel more secure, and now we live together in the players’ house close to the training ground. We spend a lot of time together and having her here has made me much more comfortable.

“It’s a house, so we can be together but also have some space when we need it,” she jokingly added. “That separation can be important sometimes, which works really well.”

Born and raised in Sweden, Hanna’s footballing journey began in 2013 in Lerum, first developing her skills with Floda BoIF before joining Lerum IS in her youth career. She eventually earned a move to Kopparbergs/Goteborg – a side which a year later would rebrand to BK Hacken.

Six years later, she has racked up over 150 appearances for Häcken, including plenty of experience in the UEFA Women’s Champions League, and has tasted success by lifting the Damallsvenskan (twice) and the Swedish Cup – and Hanna feels that experience has helped her become the player she is today.

“It was huge for me,” our new number 22 explained. “Häcken has given me so much, both as a person and as a footballer. I grew up there and it felt like a second home. That experience is a big reason why I’m able to move abroad and play here now. Häcken will always have a big place in my heart.

“I always played with girls in teams, although I played alongside boys at school sometimes. Joining Häcken early helped me a lot because I played with older players at an early stage and got experience in big matches, including the Champions League, and that gave me confidence.”

Producing 12 assists last term as Häcken secured their second top flight-title, Hanna described her style of play as ‘passionate’ and is excited to be part of the competitive Women’s Super League in England – a dream she has aspired to achieve from a young age.

“I try to bring a lot of energy - I always fight for my team and try to win every game. I’m very passionate and I want to show that I give everything I can whenever I’m on the pitch. I just want to train, get better, hopefully play games and contribute with what I can.

“Playing in England has always been a dream. I remember when I was 16 years old, I told people that I wanted to play in this league. It has grown so much in the last few years, so it’s always been something I wanted and I’m really excited to be here and at Spurs.”

Join us at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium

Our next home game in the Barclays Women's Super League sees us return to Tottenham Hotspur Stadium for a London derby against Chelsea on Sunday 8 February, kick-off 2.25pm.

Tickets are available to buy - join us in N17 as we look to build on a strong showing in England's top flight so far.

As we head into the final two games of our League Phase campaign in the 2025/26 UEFA Champions League, here is a look at what results we will require to progress in the competition.

We head into the two upcoming matches against Borussia Dortmund and Eintracht Frankfurt in a pretty good place.

We currently sit 11th out of the 36 sides in the League Phase with 11 points. That tally sees us sitting comfortably in the 'Play-Off round spots', five points clear of the bottom 12 elimination places while we are sitting just one point outside of the top eight - the eight teams which progress straight to the round of 16.

To progress directly to the round of 16

To get a place in the top eight and avoid taking part in February's Play-Off round, it is perhaps still too early to tell exactly what we will need in terms of points with just three points currently separating the 13 teams currently sat 3rd to 15th in the table. The picture for who will progress via the top eight spots will become much clearer after matchweek seven has been completed.

Last season, the eight teams which progressed directly to the round of 16 all, ironically, picked up a minimum of 16 points in the League Phase. If we assume the same number of points will be required this season, it means we will likely need to win both of our final two remaining games to finish in the top eight.

To book a place in the Play-Off round

To guarantee a spot in the February's Play-Off round - a seeded two-legged tie to progress to the round of 16 - we will need, at most, two points from our remaining games.

Currently five points clear of the 12 elimination places, two more points would make a place in the Play-Off round a certainty, while just one point would likely be just enough given our healthy goal difference of +6.

Even if we were to lose both of our remaining games, for any of the eight teams currently sat 22nd to 29th in the league, they would need to take maximum points from their final two games to overtake us and eliminate us from the competition.

If their results go in our favour across this matchweek, we could be assured of a place in the knockout stages this week.

One of the voices of European football on talkSPORT and Sky Sports, well known for The Football Ramble podcast, an author and writer for The Guardian - and a regular contributor here at Spurs for almost 10 years - Andy Brassell continues to give his insight into our UEFA Champions League opponents as part of our '60 seconds on...' feature this season.

Next up, it's Bundesliga giants Borussia Dortmund at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in MD7 on Tuesday evening (8pm UK) - a team with just one defeat both in the Bundesliga, where they sit second, and in the UCL league phase, where they are level on points with us going into tonight's fixture...

@andybrassell

‘It was a miracle they qualified for UCL’

Andy: “On paper, Borussia Dortmund are in a really great position, only lost once in the Champions League, only lost once in the Bundesliga, six points clear in second place, even though Hoffenheim do have a game in hand - but they're still in a little bit of transition. There are a couple of reasons for this, I think. Firstly, when Niko Kovac got the job, it was clear he had a lot on his plate. It was a miracle really for them to qualify for the Champions League. They were 10 points off with 10 games to go last season and they managed to finish in the top four. So, he performed well above expectation. I think people can look at it from the outside and say that Kovac is not a typical Dortmund manager because you associate them with swashbuckling, blood and thunder sort of football and he's all about safety first, physical effort and all that sort of stuff. However, I think he's exactly what they needed at this point in time, because there was a lot to sort out. The squad that he inherited was a little bit unbalanced so, for him to come in, not only get those great results in the last half of last season, but continue to get good results now... sometimes people complain about the style, but in terms of Dortmund having a long-needed sort out and clean of house, he's a really good coach for them. Maybe he's not everyone's ideal Dortmund coach, but the coach that they need at the moment, definitely.”

Nmecha, Silva, Bellingham – players to watch

Andy: "In terms of Dortmund trying to become more athletic, it's interesting how he's moved on from Pascal Gross, who's obviously gone back to Brighton. Jobe Bellingham, despite speculation saying he's not starting all the games, he might come back to England, that's never been on the table - Kovac loves him. He said going back to Autumn, Jobe is further ahead than we expected him to be at this point. He's very much Kovac’s cup of tea - athletic, box-to-box, covers every blade of grass. What player he'll develop into, who knows? But he's certainly one that Kovac, as well as Dortmund, are invested in. I think you look at that midfield getting younger, you look at Felix Nmecha, he's become a really key part of it as well. He was much improved last season anyway, even before Kovac arrived after having his position slightly changed under Nuri Şahin. If you look at the fact in recent weeks as well, Kovac has chosen to start Fabio Silva instead of Serhou Guirassy, which I guess is one of the big questions for tonight - Guirassy, until he scored against Werder Bremen in the midweek games last Tuesday - a goal that Jobe Bellingham created for him, by the way - he hadn't scored in the league since October. Guirassy has been incredibly reliable since he arrived at Dortmund until that little dry spell, but Fabio Silva developed a lot as a player at Las Palmas last season and, again, is someone who's full of running, full of industry, creates for others as well.”

Bundesliga, UCL – ‘Dortmund perform very differently on those two stages’

Andy: “So, Borussia Dortmund are gradually changing under Kovac. They are still a little bit of a work in progress, I think it's fair to say, but bear in mind this season, last season - and of course when they made it all the way to the final - they've been great in the Champions League. You can't think of the Bundesliga team and the Champions League team being the same team really. They perform very differently on those two stages. In the Champions League, they're very accomplished, really good at grinding out results in the league phase this season as well. So, a real top eight contender. It’s a difficult task for Spurs tonight, I suppose. Even though they have a few absences at the moment, particularly defensively, they're in reasonable shape. Obviously, it was a quite scratchy win that they snatched at the end against St Pauli at the weekend (3-2), but they're scoring goals at the moment and picked up seven points out of nine since they've come back from the winter break."

Last time we met...

Tuesday night's UEFA Champions League encounter represents our seventh against Borussia Dortmund in European competition in the space of 10 years - following 66 years between our first friendly and first competitive match!

We first faced the Bundesliga giants back in 1950 - Dortmund's first match against British opposition. They were still semi-professional, while we'd just lifted the 1949/50 Second Division title - Arthur Rowe's famous 'push and run' team were about to take the top flight by storm and land our first First Division crown in 1950/51.

Almost 70 years after that first meeting, one of our best performances in recent years in Europe, a 3-0 victory against Borussia Dortmund in the first leg of our Champions League quarter-final at Wembley in 2019. We won the return as well - making it four wins on the trot at the moment against Die Schwarzgelben - on our way to reaching the final.

The friendlies

We first faced Borussia Dortmund in the fourth match of our 1950 tour of Germany, having beaten Hannover Arminia, Tennis-Borussia and Wacker Club. We ran out 4-0 winners with Eddie Baily, Len Duquemin, Sonny Walters and Harry Gilberg on target. The second friendly arrived a year later as we hosted Dortmund at White Hart Lane in the Festival of Britain. A closer game this time in Dortmund's first overseas tour, Baily and Peter Murphy saw us home 2-1. After a gap of 55 years, we met Die Schwarzgelben again in a friendly in 2006, this time at their impressive Westfalenstadion, where Dimitar Berbatov's goal secured a 1-1 draw. Two years later, goals from Darren Bent, Jamie O'Hara and Giovani Dos Santos saw us home 3-0 as we won the Feyenoord Jubileum tournament in Rotterdam, Holland.

Results

Superb strikes from Heung-Min Son and Harry Kane gave us the platform to turn the tables on Dortmund in the UCL group stage of 2017/18. Our deadly duo both lashed home from the left angle in a storming first 15 minutes of MD1, where Andriy Yarmolenko also found the top corner for the visitors. Harry then drove home for 3-1 in the second half. In MD5 in Germany, Aubameyang opened the scoring but Harry and Sonny turned it around in the second half as we finished top of a group also including Real Madrid. We went out in the quarter-finals to Juventus.

'Super Jan' tore Borussia Dortmund apart in a memorable UCL Round of 16, first leg at Wembley in 2019. Playing left-back, Jan Vertonghen crossed for Heung-Min Son to open the scoring before volleying home the second himself. Fernando Llorente added the third and a fine display in the second leg in Germany, capped by Harry Kane's winner, saw us through 4-0 on aggregate. Memorable victories on aggregate over Manchester City and Ajax followed before we lost out 2-0 against Liverpool in the final in Madrid.

We have been drawn away to fellow Barclays Women's Super League side London City Lionesses in the fifth round of the Adobe Women’s FA Cup.

The draw was conducted on Monday (19 January) evening on the Adobe Women’s FA Cup YouTube channel, alongside Channel 4 and TNT’s YouTube, as we were pitted against the newly-promoted side in England's top flight.

Ties in the fifth round will take place across the weekend of 21/22 February. An exact date, kick-off time and ticket news for our clash will be confirmed in due course.

We progressed to the fifth round of the competition after a 3-0 win over Leicester City at Brisbane Road on Sunday afternoon, with goals from Bethany England, Drew Spence and Lenna Gunning-Williams.

London City Lionesses secured their spot in the draw for the last 16 after a 1-0 win over Women's Super League 2 side Sunderland, with Wassa Sangaré on target.

It’s another big Champions League night under the lights at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Tuesday as we welcome German giants Borussia Dortmund back to N17.

Both sides are neck-and-neck in the league phase standings, just a point outside the top eight with two games left to play.

Here’s everything you need to know...

What time does the match start?

We get underway at 8pm UK time.

How can I watch the game?

Supporters in the UK will be able to watch the action live on TNT Sports 1.

If you’re following us from overseas, check out our Spurs on TV page to see if the game is live in your area.

Our Match Centre here on tottenhamhotspur.com and the Spurs Official app will bring you full live text and audio commentary throughout the match.

Highlights will be available on SPURSPLAY on Wednesday.

What is the team news?

Thomas Frank indicated at his pre-match press conference on Monday that we’ll enter the game with only 11 senior outfield players available for selection.

Ben Davies has joined our injury list after suffering a fractured ankle at the weekend which requires surgery while Joao Palhinha, Richarlison, James Maddison, Mohammed Kudus, Dejan Kulusevski and Rodrigo Bentancur are also sidelined.

Micky van de Ven is suspended after picking up three yellow cards in the competition while Yves Bissouma, Radu Dragusin, Conor Gallagher and Mathys Tel are all ineligible, the latter having replaced Dominic Solanke in our list of registered Champions League players for one game at the end of last year. With Solanke now back, Tel is once again ineligible.

Pape Matar Sarr won’t be back from the Africa Cup of Nations in time to feature, his Senegal side having lifted the trophy on Sunday night.

Marcel Sabitzer is Dortmund’s only injury absentee.

Who is the referee?

Swedish Glenn Nyberg takes charge on Tuesday night, assisted by Mahbod Beigi and Andreas Söderkvist.

Kristoffer Karlsson will serve as the fourth official, with Dennis Higler and assistant Angelos Evangelou on VAR duties.

Which kit colours will the teams be wearing?

We’ll be in our traditional all-Lilywhite home strip, while our goalkeeper in blue.

Borussia Dortmund will wear yellow shirts, black shorts and yellow socks with their keeper in dark green.

How can I get the matchday programme?

The latest issue of our official matchday programme will be on sale at the game, priced at the usual £4. Copies can also be ordered online here for delivery direct to your door.

What will the weather be like?

It’s due to stay dry in north London on Tuesday. Temperatures should be around eight degrees when the game gets underway.

What is the travel information?

If you’re coming to Tottenham Hotspur Stadium to watch the match live in person, the latest travel information can be found here.