PREVIEW | Borussia Dortmund v FC Barcelona

This Wednesday at 9pm CET, Signal Iduna Park is the venue for one of the most eagerly-awaited games in the league phase of this season's Champions League. Borussia Dortmund, backed by one of the most passionate sets of supporters anywhere in Europe, at home to FC Barcelona, in only the second meeting ever between these two giants in the continent's premier club football competition.

Borussia, winners in 1997, are currently fourth in the table with four wins and one defeat, the latter coming in that extraordinary game at the Santiago Bernabeu where they led 2-0 going into the last half hour but ended up up losing 5-2. Five-time champions Barça. meanwhile, have put their opening day disappointment against Monaco far behind them as they have won all four games since, and all by three goals or more.

That puts Barça level with today's opponent on 12 points, which is already enough to virtually guarantee a place in at least the playoffs, but both sides will be eyeing one of the eight top slots that offer direct passage to the round of 16. A win today would almost certainly secure that.

This is a big one, and Barça are taking an impressive 3,000+ fans to the game. If you are one of them, enjoy! If not, be sure to check our special guide to find out how you can watch wherever you are in the world.

Flying in Europe

Buoyed by their famous 'Yellow Wall', the Germans had a 100% record at home this season in all competitions until they were held to a 1-1 draw by Bayern Munich a couple of weeks ago. However, a draw at Borussia Mönchengladbach this weekend just gone means they are still looking for their first away win in the Bundesliga, and their current sixth position is well below expectations.

Barça, in turn, are in top spot in La Liga, although a recent run of poor results, with just five points from the last 15 on offer, including a frustrating 2-2 draw at Betis on Saturday, means the gap is no longer anything like as wide as it was a few weeks ago.

Team news

It's great news to see Ronald Araujo back in the squad, as the Uruguayan was passed fit to join up with the travelling party. Andreas Christensen, Marc Bernal, Ansu Fati and goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen all remain unavailable.

With centre back Waldemar Anton already out, and both Julian Brandt and Karim Adeyemi doubtful, the last thing Dortmund needed was more injuries to worry about. But both Niklas Sule and Maximilian Beier took knocks at the weekend and are likely be absent on Wednesday.

Did you know?

Robert Lewandowski is returning to the club he graced from 2010 to 2014. But this is by no means his first game against his former employers. He lined up against Borussia on many occasion as a Bayern Munich player, scoring 27 goals. More than he's scored against any other side!

Borussia have not played any other team as many times as they have played Barça (4) without winning a game. That's only counting competitive matches, but of the four friendlies played by these teams, Barça won the lot! In all that's eight games without Barça suffering a single defeat.

Borussia (26) and Barça (18) are the two highest scoring teams in the competition so far.

Hansi says

Barça coach Hansi Flick sat down with the press the evening before the match and expressed that he is not overly worried by the odd recent setback, stating "I really trust the team" and that the winner of the match will be "very close to the next round and we want that to be us".

Goalkeeper Iñaki Peña also addressed the media and appreciates his coach for placing his trust in him, stating that "having a run of games gives you more confidence", before going on to say that the team's outstanding October form shows "what we have to go back to doing in the future".