There are only four clubs in Europe who have avoided defeat in each of their first six home games with Real Madrid: the two Milan clubs, Bayern Munich – and Borussia Dortmund! BVB have won three and drawn three of their previous clashes at the Strobelallee.

Previous clashes

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Both group-stage matches between the sides last season ended 2-2. Madrid twice took the lead in Dortmund, only for Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and André Schürrle (87) to level the scores and salvage a point. In the return leg in Madrid, BVB fell behind to a Karim Benzema double (28, 53) but scored courtesy of Aubameyang (60) and Reus (88) to get the draw.

Roman Weidenfeller is the only player still active who was involved when the clubs met in the group stages of the 2002/03 campaign. Real Madrid won 2-1 at the Santiago Bernabeu that year, while the game in Dortmund ended 1-1. Current Real boss Zinédine Zidane played in both matches. Weidenfeller also featured in their last meeting – the 2-2 draw in Spain in December 2016.

Borussia Dortmund facts

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Prior to the first of their 2-2 draws with Real Madrid last season, Borussia Dortmund had claimed victory in each of their four previous home games against clubs from Spain. Their home record against Spanish clubs is positive, with seven victories, four draws and only two defeats.

Borussia Dortmund are in the group stages for the 12th time in total and the sixth time in the last seven years. They have reached the knockout stages in their last four campaigns.

Before the home defeat to AS Monaco last term, BVB had recorded a seven-match unbeaten streak at home in European competition (five wins, two draws).

Real Madrid facts

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Los Blancos recorded a victory in their last outing on German soil, beating Bayern 2-1 in Munich at the quarter-final stage last season. Real have racked up five victories, seven draws and 19 defeats on their previous visits to Germany. Four of those five wins have come in the last seven games.

Real have reached the last 16 in each of their previous 21 UEFA Champions League campaigns.

They finished second behind Borussia Dortmund in the 2016/17 group stages. It was the first time since 2012/13 that Real had not topped their group (BVB beat them to first place that year too).

Their 73-match run of scoring at least once per game ended when they lost 1-0 at home to Real Betis on 20 September.