Signal Iduna Park is the venue as Borussia Dortmund and Bayern Munich go head-to-head in the second Bundesliga Der Klassiker of the season.
With eight points separating the teams ahead of Saturday’s kick-off, this could be Dortmund’s last chance to stay in the title race.
Anything other than a victory in this mouth-watering clash would likely end Die Borussen’s hopes of winning their first league title since 2011/12.
On the other hand, Vincent Kompany has positioned himself perfectly to win the famous Meistertitel after conquering the league in his first season in charge.
Claiming bragging rights in this iconic fixture would bring the Bavarians a step closer to lifting a record-extending 34th title.
Favourable match-up for the reigning champions
Despite losing more professional football matches against Dortmund (33) than against any other team, Bayern have historically dominated this fixture.
Indeed, the two most successful German sides will meet for the 139th time in the Bundesliga, making it the most frequently contested fixture in German professional football history.
Goals from Harry Kane and Michael Olise on either side of half-time inspired Kompany’s charges to a tight 2-1 win at the Allianz Stadium in October, meaning the Bavarians could complete their first league double over Dortmund since 2021/22.
It’s also worth noting that the October triumph saw the defending Bundesliga champions halt a three-game winless streak in this match-up (D2, L1), but they’re still waiting for their first clean sheet since a 4-0 rout on this ground in November 2023.
Despite Bayern’s recent struggles against Niko Kovac’s side, they have avoided defeat in their last sevenvisits to North Rhine-Westphalia (W5, D2), though both draws in that sequence came in their three most recent meetings here.
Make or Break
With Bayern dropping points in just four of their 23 Bundesliga outings this season (W19, D3, L1), it’s almost impossible to expect Dortmund to overhaul an eight-point deficit unless they enter the win column here.
However, Kovac’s men head into proceedings on the back foot after crashing out of the UEFA Champions League knockout play-offs at the hands of Serie A side Atalanta on Wednesday.
Despite a 2-0 first-leg win at Signal Iduna Park, Die Borussen fell to a humiliating 4-1 defeat in the return leg in Bergamo, marking their first loss in six games across all competitions (W4, D1, L1).
On a more positive note, the hosts have hit top form in the Bundesliga, putting together an impressive 16-match unbeaten streak (W11, D5) since their defeat in Munich.
In addition, Kovac’s charges have emerged victorious from 13 of their last 15 league matches on home turf (D2), remarkably scoring at least three goals on ten occasions.
High-flying visitors
If there’s a side capable of breaching Dortmund’s home fortress, it’s Bayern. Kompany’s men have gone from strength to strength on their Bundesliga travels this term and remain the only side in the league yet to taste defeat on the road (W9, D2).
Furthermore, the free-scoring Bavarians have netted a jaw-dropping 37 goals in just 11 away league games this season, averaging 3.36 goals per game – more than any other side in Europe’s top-five leagues away from home.
Bayern’s all-out-attack approach has not affected their defensive solidity, with the visitors conceding a league-low nine goals on the road this season, making them the only side in the Bundesliga yet to hit double digits in this category.
Topically, they have faced the fewest shots per game in Germany’s top flight this term (9.8), highlighting the size of the task awaiting Dortmund forwards this weekend.
Bringing the tail-end of last season into the equation, Kompany’s lads are unbeaten in 20 consecutive away league fixtures (W15, D5), accounting for the third-longest ever run on the road in Bundesliga history.
