Dortmund and Frankfurt should contest the space around Dortmund's advancing wingbacks. Guirassy's first contact and Frankfurt's reply through Doan and the forwards shape the margin. Valencia and Villarreal bring a different contest between repeated visiting entries and a rested home side's transition attacks. In both matches, clean finishes after the first clearance matter more than territory alone.
Dortmund can bring Ryerson and Svensson high and supply Guirassy, with Veerman adding another final ball. Frankfurt's Leipzig defeat showed a real problem with wide duels and box rebounds, but the later Köln win included a sharper right-side exchange through Aséko and Ebnoutalib. Frankfurt can press Dortmund's first central pass and release Doan or Burkardt into the space behind the wingbacks.
Collins played against Köln and Hutter has since called him fit; Koch and the main forward routes remain available. Dortmund's Schlotterbeck played in Baku, while some rotation options remain out. Frankfurt have had substantially more recovery time after Dortmund's trip, giving their response after a home goal more substance. That's why I'm siding with Frankfurt to stay close.
Aguirre's Valencia have found second-half chances by releasing Guerra and the wide runners from a compact base. Villarreal can build repeated entries through the centre and out to Cardona, but their Liverpool trip was a demanding turnaround and Valencia have a route into the space behind the visiting fullbacks. Otorbi's recent runs give that route a clear final action.
Foulquier and Copete remain out for Valencia after already missing the Athletic match; Romero and Pepe are unavailable for Villarreal, while Buchanan played at Liverpool. Saliba left that game at halftime and his central passing role is unsettled. An assertive Valencia start followed by fresher wide runs can keep this derby tight. That's why I'm siding with Valencia.
