Predicted Borussia Dortmund XI for UCL clash vs Club Brugge

Predicted Borussia Dortmund XI vs Club Brugge: Favre to revert to back three with Hummels out

By Tushar Bahl | Nov 3, 2020

Dortmund's Swiss coach Lucien Favre wears a face mask before the German first division Bundesliga football match between Arminia Bielefeld and Borussia Dortmund on October 31, 2020 in Bielefeld, western Germany. (Photo by Ina FASSBENDER / POOL / AFP) / DFL REGULATIONS PROHIBIT ANY USE OF PHOTOGRAPHS AS IMAGE SEQUENCES AND/OR QUASI-VIDEO (Photo by INA FASSBENDER/POOL/AFP via Getty Images) /

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Manuel Akanji will lead the back-line against Club Brugge. (Photo by Alex Gottschalk/DeFodi Images via Getty Images) /

Back Three: Lukasz Piszczek, Manuel Akanji, Thomas Delaney

It is quite possible that Lucien Favre will be forced into changing his formation due to the absence of Mats Hummels. Lukasz Piszczek is the obvious replacement with Emre Can and Dan-Axel Zagadou also ruled out. And he will certainly be a lot more comfortable playing at centre-back in a back three than in a back four.

If Favre does go with the three-chain defence, Thomas Delaney will be the likely choice to join Lukasz Piszczek and Manuel Akanji in the back three. The Dane has played there twice already this season, and goes into the game in good form.

As Borussia Dortmund’s only fit centre-back, the pressure will be on Manuel Akanji to lead the defence. The Swiss international has been excellent in the last few games, and it will be interesting to see how he takes on the added responsibility.