Borussia Dortmund opened their Champions League campaign with a visibly empty section at Signal Iduna Park during their clash with Villarreal. One corner of the stadium, typically reserved for away supporters, had no fans at all.
Why Is the Stand Empty?
Champions League rules allow opposition teams to receive five per cent of the ground's total capacity. With Dortmund's home ground holding approximately 81,000, Villarreal were allocated just over 4,000 seats for their supporters.
However, the La Liga side failed to take up their full allocation. Sport Bild reported that Villarreal informed Dortmund they would not use all their tickets, selling only 39 for away fans. The remaining allocation was returned to Dortmund for home supporters.
Where Will Villarreal Fans Sit?
Upon learning of the low ticket sales, Dortmund opted to accommodate those fans in the West Stand rather than the North East corner, traditionally designated for away supporters. This decision left an entire section of the ground empty.
Kovac's Warning on Villarreal
Dortmund manager Niko Kovac highlighted the challenge awaiting his squad, noting Villarreal's third-place finish in La Liga last season.
"They finished third last year and are playing in the Champions League for the second year in a row," Kovac said. "Normally, the top three spots in Spain are locked up. If you break into that group (alongside Barcelona, Real Madrid, and Atletico Madrid) that really says something!"
Kovac added: "They have a new coach now, but they continue to play the Spanish style with a lot of possession. They're technically very sound and very precise in their execution. When they have the ball, this team makes very few mistakes."
"We'll have to make sure we reduce their time in possession. When we have the ball, they can't play their game and have to defend more, which will hopefully work in our favour. It's going to be a very difficult game."
