Borussia Dortmund 3-2 Villarreal: A Battle of Yellow Kicks Off the Champions League
Borussia Dortmund opened their 2026/27 Champions League campaign with a 3-2 win over Villarreal on Tuesday, September 8, at a packed Signal Iduna Park — five goals between two of the most recognizable yellow kits in Europe.
Two Clubs, One Color
Dortmund and Villarreal share more than a Matchday 1 fixture — both built their identity around the color yellow. Dortmund's south stand, the 'Yellow Wall,' is the largest standing terrace in Europe at nearly 25,000 fans; Villarreal have been known as the 'Submarino Amarillo' (Yellow Submarine) since their early years, a nod to the shirt color from a town of barely 50,000 people.
The five combined goals made for an entertaining follow-up to a Matchday 1 slate already stacked with bigger names — a reminder that the opening round is never just about star power.
Villarreal's European Pedigree Runs Deeper Than the Result
Villarreal's near-misses are part of Champions League folklore: the small-town club reached the semifinals twice, in 2006 and 2022, losing both times — to Arsenal and Liverpool respectively. The 2006 exit is still remembered for Juan Román Riquelme's missed penalty in the second leg, which would have sent Villarreal to their first-ever final.
Dortmund, meanwhile, are chasing a different kind of history: their only European title came in 1997 against Juventus, and they've since lost finals to Bayern Munich (2013) and Real Madrid (2024) — a club still searching for a second star for a famous badge.