Manchester City vs Borussia Dortmund - Champions League LIVE: Pep Guardiola makes three changes - plus updates from Newcastle vs Athletic Bilbao

3 hours ago 17

Follow Daily Mail Sport's live blog for the latest score, team news and updates as Manchester City host Borussia Dortmund at the Etihad, whilst Newcastle welcome Athletic Bilbao to St James' Park in the Champions League, with Jack Gaughan and Oliver Holt reporting from the grounds.

A change in the hotseat

By Lewis Browning

Right - time for me to step away. Harry Bamforth will be taking over to take you through the live action - so be nice!

Really intrigued to see how this one goes. Enjoy!

Players get warm

The stars have been out warming up in Manchester, and, trust me, they need to.

It may be a little warmer than it has been, bit it's still very bitter out. My trusty Apple Weather app actually thinks it's 15 degrees here! But it certainly feels colder!

 Erling Haaland of Manchester City reacts as he warms up prior to the UEFA Champions League 2025/26 League Phase MD4 match between Manchester City and Borussia Dortmund at City of Manchester Stadium on November 05, 2025 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Gareth Copley/Getty Images)

Soccer Football - UEFA Champions League - Manchester City v Borussia Dortmund - Etihad Stadium, Manchester, Britain - November 5, 2025 Manchester City's Oscar Bobb during the warm up before the match REUTERS/Phil Noble

Hargreaves: 'He is one of the most explosive players'

Owen Hargreaves, former Manchester City midfielder, TNT Sports:

Dortmund have some brilliant players, particularly in transition. Adeyemi is one of the most explosive players - it's scary. He is playing in a slightly different position.
Niko though plays 3-4-3 - he is playing more inside in the pocket. He is a threat - you wouldn't want to play against him.

Dortmund's Karim Adeyemi, center, exercises with his teammates during a training session ahead of the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Manchester City and Borussia Dortmund in Dortmund, Germany, Tuesday, Nov. 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)

A hero's welcome

It was indeed quite the welcome for City as they arrived at the Etihad, with fans gathering to try and get a glimpse. A bit of fire, too.

There's a really good atmosphere brewing here, from both the home and away fans.

Less than half-hour until kick-off!

 Nico O'Reilly of Manchester City arrives at the stadium prior to the UEFA Champions League 2025/26 League Phase MD4 match between Manchester City and Borussia Dortmund at City of Manchester Stadium on November 05, 2025 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Michael Regan - UEFA/UEFA via Getty Images)

 Pep Guardiola, Manager of Manchester City, interacts with fans as he arrives at the stadium prior to the UEFA Champions League 2025/26 League Phase MD4 match between Manchester City and Borussia Dortmund at City of Manchester Stadium on November 05, 2025 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Michael Regan - UEFA/UEFA via Getty Images)

A performer with the Toxic Dolls breathes fire as they perform outside the Etihad Stadium in Manchester, north west England, on November 5, 2025, ahead of the UEFA Champions League football match between Manchester City and Borussia Dortmund. (Photo by Oli SCARFF / AFP) (Photo by OLI SCARFF/AFP via Getty Images)

'Rodri suffers setback'

So no Rodri in the City squad tonight, which will give Pep Guardiola another major headache.
The midfielder – back on the bench last Sunday - keeps getting into a position to play some minutes and then suffers another setback. It’s not major, says Guardiola, but less than ideal.

  Pep Guardiola the head coach / manager of Manchester City with Rodri during the Premier League match between Manchester City and AFC Bournemouth at Etihad Stadium on November 2, 2025 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Marc Atkins/Getty Images)

Last night's results

It's been a huge week of Champions League action already, with nine games taking place across Europe last night.

Here's how it all unfolded:

  • Napoli 0-0 Frankfurt
  • Slavia Prague 0-3 Arsenal
  • Atletico Madrid 3-1 Union SG
  • Bodo/Glimt 0-1 Monaco
  • Juventus 1-1 Sporting Lisbon
  • Liverpool 1-0 Real Madrid
  • Olympiacos 1-1 PSV
  • PSG 1-2 Bayern Munich
  • Tottenham 4-0 Copenhagen

Click here or below to have a read of Lewis Steele's Liverpool analysis from Anfield!

Liverpool put in their performance of the season to extinguish any lingering thoughts of a blip or crisis by beating Real Madrid on Tuesday night.

...and Athletic Bilbao!

To round up the background info of the four sides we are covering tonight...

Ernesto Valverde's Athletic Bilbao are 11th in LaLiga and not having their best season. In the Champions League, they have three points and sit 25th in the table.

They lost against Arsenal on matchday one, before that Dortmund defeat in their second game. Crucially, they beat Qarabag last time out, and would be in a very sticky situation had they not.

Tonight will be another tough one for them. A big opportunity for Newcastle.

epa12481918 Athletic Club de Bilbao's head coach Ernesto Valverde gestures during the Spanish LaLiga soccer match between Athletic Club de Bilbao and Getafe CF, in Bilbao, Basque Country, Spain, 25 October 2025.  EPA/LUIS TEJIDO

Dortmund's form

Dortmund are doing fine in the Bundesliga. They are third in the table, having lost just one game, but are far from the days of competing for the title and potentially even the Champions League under the likes of Jurgen Klopp and Thomas Tuchel.

That said, Niko Kovac's side are doing well in Europe. After a stunning 4-4 draw with Juventus on matchday one, they have beaten Athletic Bilbao and Copenhagen.

Win tonight too, and they are laughing.

  Head Coach Niko Kovac of Borussia Dortmund applauds after the Bundesliga match between FC Augsburg and Borussia Dortmund at WWK-Arena on October 31, 2025 in Augsburg, Germany. (Photo by Marcel Engelbrecht - firo sportphoto/Getty Images)

Burn: 'We're trying to work out our away form'

Dan Burn, Newcastle defender:

Normally when you have a bad game, one or two players can carry that but I think the whole team really had a bad day and let the team down.
We haven't won in nine away games and it is something the manager is working on to understand why we haven't been performing away from home.
The frustrating thing is we know we'll be up for the Champions League tomorrow at home, the fans will be buzzing and we need to find a replicate that away from home.

 Owen Humphreys/PA Wire.RESTRICTIONS: Use subject to restrictions. Editorial use only, no commercial use without prior consent from rights holder.

Howe: 'We have to use West Ham as a turning point'

Eddie Howe, Newcastle manager:

I don't think riot acts is the right word. I think when you produce a performance like we did against West Ham, you have to use that as a turning point.
You have to be articulate and explain to the players what they have to do better. It's a return to the basic fundamentals of how we play and then hoping we perform at a really high level.

 Newcastle United Head Coach Eddie Howe speaks to the media during the Newcastle United Press Conference at St.James' Park on November 04, 2025 in Newcastle upon Tyne, England. (Photo by Serena Taylor/Newcastle United via Getty Images)

Magpies keen to bounce back

Speaking of inconsistencies - it's been a similar story for Newcastle this season.

They have been in good form in the Champions League. After losing against Barcelona on matchday one, they have won both of their matches, beating Benfica 3-0 last time out.

In the Premier League, however, they lost against West Ham last time out and have won just three of their 10 matches this season. They also sit in the bottom half of the table...

A win tonight will be pretty big for them. A loss could be quite disastrous...

 Nick Woltemade of Newcastle United celebrates his side's third goal during the UEFA Champions League 2025/26 League Phase MD3 match between Newcastle United FC and SL Benfica at St James' Park on October 21, 2025 in Newcastle upon Tyne, England. (Photo by Chris Brunskill/Fantasista/Getty Images)

 Anthony Gordon of Newcastle United reacts  during the Premier League match between West Ham United and Newcastle United at London Stadium on November 02, 2025 in London, England. (Photo by Catherine Ivill - AMA/Getty Images)

Breaking:Dortmund team news: Guirassy STARTS

Aaaaaand here's the Dortmund team.

Serhou Guirassy is the key man for the away side, with former Manchester United man Sabitzer in midfield.

Breaking:Athletic Bilbao team news: Vesga STARTS

We're still waiting on Dortmund, but here's the Athletic Club side to face Newcastle.

No major surprises! Former Man City man Aymeric Laporte is on the bench, with top scorer Navarro on the left.

Kick off is now a little over an hour away.

Breaking:Newcastle team news: Woltemade STARTS

Breaking:Man City team news: Foden STARTS

Here's the side Pep Guardiola has picked to start for City tonight.

Haaland leads the line - and captains the side. Stones partners Gvardiol in defence, with O'Reilly at left back, and Reijnders coming back into the side.

Foden will again play a central role, it seems.

Haaland: 'I am the same Erling'

Erling Haaland, Man City forward:

I am the completely same person from as long as I can remember. Nothing has changed. I am still the same kid in some situations and I am still that kid from Bryne but with more experience in life.
I am more experienced of course because I have been playing on a professional level since I was 16.
In football but in life. I have been living alone for nine years which also helped me a lot as a person. I have lived in loads of different countries and spoken loads of different languages. It is the same Erling but with more experience.

Soccer Football - UEFA Champions League - Manchester City Press Conference - Etihad Campus, Manchester, Britain - November 4, 2025 Manchester City's Erling Haaland during the press conference Action Images via Reuters/Ed Sykes

Guardiola: 'Things are very good most of the time'

Pep Guardiola, Man City manager:

We handle the intensity. When you play one game a week it is so different than playing three times. Things are very good most of the time but playing once a week is completely different.
The most important thing is not just how many minutes you play on the pitch, how many minutes in the meeting room and the physicality.
From my experience the teams that play every three or four days - the energy in the moment of the game but sometimes you have to train a little bit to understand what you have to do otherwise it is not possible. You have to adapt.

Soccer Football - UEFA Champions League - Manchester City Press Conference - Etihad Campus, Manchester, Britain - November 4, 2025 Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola during the press conference Action Images via Reuters/Ed Sykes

Inconsistent City

Manchester City will likely qualify for the last-16 of the Champions League - and a lot less dramatically than last year - but they have been a bit inconsistent of late.

Last time out in Europe, Pep Guardiola's side secured a comfortable 2-0 win over Villarreal, but, in the game before that, they drew with Monaco.

In the Premier League, meanwhile, they beat high-flying Bournemouth last time out, but lost against Aston Villa before that.

They are adapting the way they play and showing glimpses of their old selves, but they need to be consistent if they are to win anything this season - and this is a potential banana skin.

TOPSHOT - Manchester City's Norwegian forward #09 Erling Braut Haaland celebrates scoring his team's first goal during the UEFA Champions League league phase day 3 football match between Villarreal CF and Manchester City at La Ceramica Stadium in Vila-real on October 21, 2025. (Photo by JAVIER SORIANO / AFP) (Photo by JAVIER SORIANO/AFP via Getty Images)

EDITORIAL USE ONLY No use with unauthorised audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or "live" services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publications. Mandatory Credit: Photo by Kieran McManus/Shutterstock (15504051bt) Eric Dier of Monaco is fouled for a late penalty Monaco v Manchester City, UEFA Champions League, Group Stage, Football, Stade Louis II, Monaco - 01 Oct 2025

Champions League action continues

Hello one and all and welcome to Daily Mail Sport's live coverage of this evening's Champions League action!

We have two featured games for you tonight, with Manchester City taking on Borussia Dortmund and Newcastle hosting Athletic Club.

Kick-off in both games is set for 8pm, but we have a number of other games taking place too.

Let's hope it can live up to last night! Stay tuned for all the build-up, coverage, and reaction!

Key Updates

  • Dortmund team news: Guirassy STARTS

  • Athletic Bilbao team news: Vesga STARTS

  • Newcastle team news: Woltemade STARTS

  • Man City team news: Foden STARTS

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