Bayern, Dortmund in potential title decider

There are a few rivalries in world football that evoke as many emotions as Der Klassiker which returns to the Bundesliga today as Bayern Munich host Borussia Dortmund at the Allianz Arena.

Surprisingly, for both clubs the timing is just right.

Borussia Dortmund moved back to the top of the table after a last-gasp 2-0 win against Wolfsburg, while Bayern dropped points away at Freiburg in a 1-1 draw to sit two points behind their rivals.

Thus Saturday’s game will allow Bayern to move straight back to first place with a win, while Dortmund know avoiding a defeat will keep them in pole position for a title race that this year has moved away from Bayern winning with games to spare. In fact Bayern are in danger of seeing their season unravel.

Having been knocked out by Liverpool in the round of the last 16 in the Champions League they are also no longer the invincible foe in the Bundesliga, as Freiburg found out.

Dortmund will look towards Liverpool for some inspiration as the Reds came to the Allianz on the back of a goalless draw at home and returned to England with a 3-1 win under the belt. So Bayern can be beaten at home. But that is something that manager Niko Kovac will want to avoid at all cost. Speaking after the disappointing draw against Freiburg he said that they had to win the game against Dortmund.

“I assume my players know what it is all about.
“We have to show Dortmund that we want to become champions and I expect us to put them under pressure and be aggressive in the match.”
Bayern have announced a number of new signings for next season and they are looking at a number of other players, like Bayer Leverkusen’s Kai Havertz.

These signings and the uncertainty surrounding others, could be double edged sword as players like Jerome Boateng on the one hand know that he is probably on his way out of Bayern, but on the other hand, he could be determined to show Bayern that he should continue to play a role in their planning. Dortmund’s players, however, go into the game buoyed by their late win against Wolfsburg – courtesy of Paco Alcacer’s goals in the 90th and 94th minute.

“It’s a really important win and everyone knows our next game is in Munich,” said Belgium international Axel Witsel. “Nobody expected Bayern to drop points in Freiburg before the games. Now we’re the leader we don’t need to change. We’ll go to Munich with the same motivation and do everything to win.”

Dortmund beat Bayern at home in the first round and Witsel said they were expecting a tough match. “We did it here (in Dortmund) so why not there? We have to go there with the ambition to take three points.

“It’s dangerous there and you can lose so we have to give everything we can. I think we’ll have the same motivation, maybe even more. Every game is a final now and we have to do everything to try to win every game step by step.”

Peter Auf der Heyde
Peter Auf der Heyde is an award-winning football journalist and author, who covers the big European leagues. As a South African by birth, he is particularly interested in the African connection within European football and has covered 12 consecutive Africa Cup of Nations tournaments live. Formerly head of sport at the English service of the German Press Association, he is one of the leading Bundesliga experts.

Auf der Heyde played professionally for Bosmont Chelsea in the South African top flight and now spends his time migrating between South Africa, Germany and the UK.

TODAY- G. BUNDESLIGA

Schalke vs. Frankfurt
4.30pm, SportsLife
Leverkusen vs. RB Leipzig
4.30pm, World Football
Hertha vs. Fortuna
4.30pm, Sports Arena
Wolfsburg vs. Hannover 96
4.30pm, Sports Focus
Bayern vs. Dortmund
7.30pm, World Football
TOMORROW
Augsburg vs. Hoffenheim
4.30pm, Sports Premium
M’gladbach vs. Werder
4.30pm, World Football
*All games on StarTimes TV