Guirassy lightning start sets up BVB win against Atalanta

With Nico Schlotterbeck and Niklas Sule both missing in central defence, Borussia Dortmund went into the first leg of the Champions League play-offs against Atalanta Bergamo significantly weakened on paper.

And with BVB reputation for finding Italian opponents awkward in Europe, there was a familiar sense of caution around the match. Yet Dortmund approached the night with clarity and intensity, produced one of their most controlled European performances in recent months, and earned a deserved 2-0 victory that leaves them in a strong position ahead of the return leg.

Nico Kovac had little choice but to reshuffle. After the 4-0 win over Mainz, he addressed the hole at centre-back by handing 18-year-old Reggiani a start, rotating him in for Sule and giving him his first appearance in the starting XI. The teenager handled the step up impressively, becoming Borussia seventh-youngest Champions League debutant and immediately looking comfortable in a back line that needed stability more than anything else. Schlotterbeck absence added to the challenge, having already missed the Bundesliga match through suspension after accumulating too many yellow cards.

Atalanta arrived with their own adjustments. Under coach Raffaele Palladino, the Italian side made four changes following their recent 2-0 win away at Lazio. Kossounou, Kolasinac, Mario Pasalic and Scamacca replaced Scalvini, Ahanor, Samardzic and Krstovic. Injuries continued to bite in attack, with both De Ketelaere and Raspadori again unavailable, removing two players who can provide the improvisation and final pass that often make the difference in tight European ties.

The build-up itself was unusual. Kick-off was delayed by around 15 minutes due to Dortmund team bus being stuck in traffic. But if anyone expected that disruption to slow BVB, the opposite happened. Dortmund started at full throttle, pressed immediately and turned their first real attacking moment into a goal. After only three minutes, Julian Ryerson delivered again. His cross was precise, his timing perfect, and Serhou Guirassy attacked the ball aggressively to head Dortmund in front. It was Ryerson fifth assist in two matches, a remarkable burst of end product from a player often associated more with work rate than headline contributions. For Atalanta, it was the worst kind of opening. Concede early, away from home, in a two-legged tie, and suddenly the entire plan has to change.

With the lead secured, Dortmund became more pragmatic. They dropped a little deeper, allowed Atalanta more of the ball and focused on controlling space, particularly between the lines. The idea was clear: limit Atalanta ability to create clean chances, then punish any overcommitment with quick transitions. Atalanta had possession, but not much incision. They circulated the ball, attempted to find pockets and looked to accelerate through the wide channels, especially via the pace of Zalewski. That route produced their best moment of the first half when Zalewski drove down the flank and fizzed a dangerous ball across the face of goal, where Mario Pasalic, disrupted by Svensson, narrowly failed to make the decisive touch around the 21st minute.

Dortmund then had a spell of passivity and were fortunate that Palladino side lacked creativity for long stretches, but their defensive work stayed solid, including Reggiani calm positioning and decision-making. Toward the end of the first half, Dortmund raised the tempo again, pressed higher and began to generate set-piece pressure. A Ryerson free kick led to a chance when Anton headed narrowly over the bar, a warning sign that Dortmund were not content to protect a one-goal cushion. Moments later, they struck again. A well-timed pass from Nmecha set Dortmund away on the counter, Guirassy carried the threat forward and then squared the ball unselfishly across goal. Maximilian Beier arrived to finish with a simple tap-in to make it 2-0 shortly before the break. The goal was a huge moment in the tie, not only because it doubled the advantage, but because it rewarded Dortmund ability to switch from control to speed in a single action.

After the restart, Dortmund kept the intensity high and did not allow Atalanta to build early momentum. The Italians had to throw everything into the physical side of the match just to keep up with Dortmund tempo, and even when Atalanta enjoyed longer spells on the ball, they struggled to turn possession into clear chances. Dortmund, meanwhile, avoided taking major risks. They went forward less frequently, but that approach did not invite Atalanta back into the game, because Dortmund shape remained compact and their pressing triggers were well timed, forcing Atalanta into rushed crosses or speculative passes.

When Dortmund did attack, they still looked capable of creating the next big moment. Set pieces remained a threat, and from another Ryerson corner, Brandt struck from the edge of the box and sent his effort just over the bar around the 67th minute. It was another reminder that Dortmund could add to their lead without losing their balance, and it underlined Ryerson influence on the match as both a provider and a constant source of danger.

Elsewhere in the Champions League play-offs, other first-leg results also shaped the picture for the return matches, with Galatasaray beating Juventus 5-2 (first leg: 1-2), Benfica losing 0-1 to Real Madrid (0-0), and AS Monaco losing 2-3 to Paris Saint-Germain (2-2), while Dortmund themselves closed the night with a 2-0 win over Atalanta (2-0).

Beyond the scoreline, the performance of Reggiani was one of the most encouraging aspects for Dortmund. Thrown into a high-pressure European fixture because of injuries and suspensions, he looked composed, held his line well and contributed to a clean sheet that will matter as much as the two-goal cushion. For Kovac, it was the ideal outcome: Dortmund gained control early, managed the tie intelligently and avoided the kind of chaos that can turn European nights into a gamble. Atalanta, for their part, left knowing that the second leg will require both a sharper attacking edge and a more calculated approach, because chasing goals while leaving space behind is exactly the scenario Dortmund will be prepared to exploit.