Dortmund tipped to hit early in Dusseldorf friendly test, says TV analyst

Borussia Dortmund are expected to underline their status as Bundesliga heavyweights when they face Fortuna Dusseldorf in a pre-season friendly on Saturday – but a Burkinabe football pundit believes the underdogs could still land a blow on home soil.

The match kicks off at 11:00 local time on 25 July 2026 at the Merkur Spiel-Arena in Dusseldorf, as both clubs intensify preparations ahead of the new campaign.

Mahamad Sangare, presenter of the sports debate show La VAR on Burkina Info TV, has assessed the encounter and highlighted Dortmund’s firepower, while warning that pre-season fatigue may open the door for Fortuna to “save face” in front of their own fans.

Dortmund begin summer tune‐up with strong momentum

For Borussia Dortmund, this fixture marks an early step in their summer build-up, with the club looking to blend new arrivals into an already high-calibre squad and rediscover the automatisms that carried them through last season.

Dortmund come into the game with impressive recent form: four wins and one defeat from their last five matches, scoring 13 goals and conceding six. They ran out 3-1 winners in their most recent outing, reinforcing the notion that their attacking rhythm is already at a good level.

The squad is built around high-profile leaders such as Serhou Guirassy, Emre Can, Nico Schlotterbeck, Marcel Sabitzer, Yan Couto and Julian Ryerson, while promising youngsters including Justin Lerma and Filippo Mane are being gradually integrated.

On paper, Sangare argues, Dortmund’s technical and collective superiority over Fortuna Dusseldorf is “clear”, particularly given the gap between the clubs’ current trajectories.

Fortuna using glamour tie to measure themselves

Fortuna Dusseldorf, now playing outside the Bundesliga and recently relegated to Germany’s third tier, view the meeting as a valuable barometer of their progress and tactical organisation against one of Europe’s elite sides.

Their recent form is mixed: two wins, one draw and two defeats in their last five fixtures, with seven goals both scored and conceded. They lost 2-0 in their most recent match, underlining the inconsistency they are keen to rectify.

For this high-profile friendly, Fortuna are expected to field a blend of experience and youth. Summer signings Dominique Heintz, Jorrit Hendrix, Jomaine Consbruch, Fabian Schleusener and Eric Hottmann are set to provide structure and leadership, supporting emerging prospects such as Louis Lord, Elias Egouli, Hamza Anhari, Kilian Sauck and Mechak Quiala Tito.

The ambition, Sangare notes, is not just to resist Dortmund, but to test tactical systems and partnerships that will be crucial in their push to return up the German league ladder.

History and context point firmly to Dortmund

Past meetings between the sides underline how heavily the statistics favour the “Black and Yellows”. In 12 encounters in all competitions – including both official fixtures and friendlies – Dortmund have won seven times, with three draws and only two victories for Fortuna.

Their last friendly clash, played on 10 January 2023, ended in a comprehensive 5-1 win for Dortmund, reinforcing the sense of hierarchy in this match-up.

Sangare highlights this historical imbalance, along with the qualitative gap between a club entrenched in the Bundesliga elite and a Fortuna side now operating in the 3. Liga, as a major factor in his analysis.

Open game expected – with early Dortmund goal likely

Pre-season friendlies are often characterised by tactical experimentation, sweeping squad rotations and defensive lapses. In that context, Sangare believes a high-scoring contest is “highly plausible”, especially given Dortmund’s attacking form and Fortuna’s drive to show ambition in front of their supporters.

However, he also stresses that intense summer training loads can weigh on players’ legs, sometimes creating conditions for the less-fancied team to exploit lapses in concentration and “save their honour at home”.

Given Dortmund’s recent efficiency in front of goal, Sangare judges that the probability of the visitors scoring in the first half is particularly strong. While the betting odds for the match “can move”, he suggests that backing an early Dortmund goal is one of the more reliable scenarios heading into Saturday’s encounter.