The UEFA Champions League is back on Tuesday, and for the first time since 2015, Juventus will take on Borussia Dortmund in a competitive match. These two teams did face off in a friendly game this summer, with the Italian side coming out with a 2-1 win. We can’t take that into account too much, as the stakes in Tuesday’s game are much higher.
Juventus are +100 favorites for this one on DraftKings Sportsbook, with a draw available at +255. If you fancy a Dortmund upset, the German side are +275 on the moneyline. Below is my favorite bet for Tuesday’s match.
Juventus vs. Borussia Dortmund Prediction, Pick
There isn’t much separating these two sides in my book, which is why I will take a draw in this spot.
Both sides are coming off solid starts in their respective domestic leagues. Juve have won all three of their games, including a 4-3 win against Inter Milan on Saturday. It’s still early, but they look like they have made a jump this season under new manager Igor Tudor. The former Lazio manager took over in March after Juventus parted ways with Thiago Motta. After a fourth place finish in Serie A last season, they are currently second in the table, only trailing Napoli on goal difference.
Dortmund have won two of their first three games in the Bundesliga, winning their last two since a disappointing 3-3 draw with FC St. Pauli in the opening match. They sit in second place in the Bundesliga, which so far is an improvement from their fourth placed finish a season ago.
The German side have a better history in this competition in recent years. They lost the 2024 final to Real Madrid, and last season they made it to the quarter-finals stage before falling to Barcelona. For Juventus, they failed to make the competition in 2023/24. Last season, they fell in the first playoff round to PSV.
This game will be played in Italy, which gives Juve the advantage, but Dortmund have the know how in this competition and they are an experienced group. I think they have more than enough to get a result in what is a tough opening fixture.
There really isn’t much to split these two, which is why I am going to split the difference and bet on this one to end in a draw.
