Champions League
2026-02-17 - Borussia Dortmund vs Atalanta
A Sports Betting Pick by Niko
Football; UEFA Champions League: KO playoffs - 1st leg
Signal Iduna Park – Dortmund, Germany
Tuesday, 17th February 2026 - kickoff 21:00 CET
Borussia Dortmund
Borussia Dortmund awaits this first-leg playoff game with strong recent European home credentials.
The German side have won the home leg in six of their last eight two-legged Champions League ties, drawing twice. That tells you how difficult they are to break down at Signal Iduna Park on continental nights.
Their most recent home defeat in the Champions League against Inter was just their second in the last 22 Champions League home matches (13 wins, 7 draws), which is an incredible sign of consistency.
Borussia Dortmund tends to control games well at home, using crowd energy to apply consistent pressure on their opponents.
Recent form is good, with Borussia Dortmund winning all their last three Bundesliga games, most recently nailing Mainz 4-0 last weekend.
Atalanta
Atalanta is a team capable of unsettling hosts, but recent away form in Europe raises some questions. A 1-0 defeat at Union Saint-Gilloise in their last Champions League match marked their second consecutive European away loss, and their third defeat in the last five such matches (two wins).
That said, Atalanta finished the Champions League phase two places and two points above Borussia Dortmund, reflecting slightly greater consistency across the group stage.
Atalanta are a tactically disciplined side, comfortable without possession and dangerous when exploiting transitions — qualities that can translate well in first-leg away ties.
Encouragingly for the Italians, Atalanta are unbeaten in their last four away matches against German opposition in European competitions (three wins and a draw), suggesting they are not easily pushed on trips to Germany.
Regarding recent performances, Atalanta are also on a series of three competitive wins in Italy, most recently beating Lazio 0-2 away last weekend.
The Betting Verdict
Borussia Dortmund’s excellent Champions League home record gives them a narrow edge, especially with Atalanta arriving after a patchy run on the road.
The clubs last met in the 2017/18 UEFA Europa League round of 32, where Borussia Dortmund progressed 4-3 on aggregate after a 3-2 home win and a 1-1 draw in Italy - a reminder that margins between these sides can be slim.
From a betting perspective, Borussia Dortmund to edge the first leg looks a reasonable bet, and it pays well.
The Statistics :
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The Pick :
Borussia Dortmund 2-1 Atalanta
BEST BETTING TIP :
Take Borussia Dortmund to win at odds of 2.15 at Cloudbet
