As the entire sporting world deals with the lockdown due to the coronavirus, the Bundesliga, which became the first European football league to make a comeback after a two-month hiatus, is set to host Der Klassiker - German football’s high-octane clash between table-toppers Bayern Munich and their arch-rivals Borussia Dortmund.
After a thumping 5-2 win over Eintracht Frankfurt, Bayern march towards Signal Iduna Park to chase their eighth consecutive league title. The defending champions will face Dortmund, who are four points behind them with seven games more to be played including Tuesday’s clash that will take place behind closed doors to keep social distancing in effect.
Despite playing on home turf, Lucien Favre’s men will be under extreme pressure where they cannot afford to drop points and only a win can bridge the gap for Dortmund to continue their title chase. Although the previous two meetings have not been in favour of Dortmund, as they failed to score on both occasions and conceded nine goals including 4-0 defeat back in November 2019 at Allianz Arena.
Bayern’s gameplay has seen a complete turn around after Hansi Flick replaced Niko Kovac in November. Bayern regained its top spot after a lacklustre first-half season. The Bavarians attack under Flick has emerged as one of the top-class attacks in Europe that can pose a big challenge for Dortmund’s backline led by Łukasz Piszczek.
Bayern’s prolific goal-scorer Robert Lewandowski has been in the form of his life, netting a total of 41 goals (27 in Bundesliga) this season. With Serge Gnabry and Kingsley Coman operating in the wings, Leon Goretzka and experienced campaigner Thomas Muller add value to the mid-field which makes their attack the deadliest.
Thomas Muller was involved in the first two goals against Frankfurt on Saturday - assisting one to Goretzka and later slotted the other one into the net after chesting the ball down to claim his 117th Bundesliga goal. Muller becomes the player to have most number of assists in Bundesliga 2019/20. With 17 assists the Bayern midfielder stands on the top of the list with one clear off Dortmund’s teenager Jadon Sancho who has 16 assists and 14 goals to his name.
In the absence of Dortmund’s injured skipper Marco Reus, Favre will heavily rely on the talent of its teenage sensation Erling Haaland, who moved to Signal Iduna Park in January from Red Bull Salzburg. The 19-year-old prodigy has scored 10 goals in as number of games in Bundesliga. Jadon Sancho and Belgian winger Thorgan Hazard will play a vital role in Dortmund’s frontline to steer them to victory.
Portugal’s Raphael Guerreiro and Morocco’s Achraf Hakimi netted a goal each in Dortmund’s 2-0 win over Wolfsburg, away from home. Guerreiro has scored three goals from his last two appearances in the black and yellow colours and can stand up on Tuesday to display his versatility.
Interestingly, Lucien Favre has a 100 per cent record at home against Bayern with two wins from two. Hansi Flick started his managerial role for Bayern with a victory against Dortmund and will be ardent to make it two in two.
Stat attack:
Dortmund ran out victors the last time they met at the Signal Iduna Park in the league. In fact, Dortmund have lost just one of the last four (W2, D1, L1) Klassiker matches on home soil.
Haaland's return of 10 goals in as many games mean the Black-Yellows are the only Bundesliga team this term with three players on double figures for goals: Haaland (10), Reus (11) and Sancho (14).
Lewandowski is on course to break his single season record which currently stands at 43.
Lewandowski has notched 12 goals in his last six Klassiker outings - scoring on every occasion. He's also scored at least twice in each of the last four league games against Dortmund, a run that dates back to his hat-trick in the 6-0 demolition of his former employers on March 31, 2018.
Lewandowski is one of the four players in the two squads to have crossed the Klassiker divide, with Hummels, Ivan Perisic and Mario Götze also having played for both clubs.
Bayern have scored 80 goals so far in 27 games, the most by any club in Bundesliga. Dortmund are second on the table, finding the target 74 times.
