Borussia Dortmund vs Bayern Munich is the biggest game of the Bundesliga season for neutrals, with the two German giants set to clash once again on Saturday following their heated encounter in the German Super Cup at the start of the season.
Bayern have gone almost unchallenged in the Bundesliga since winning three consecutive titles between 1984 and 1987. There have been blips, yet they have never gone more than three seasons without reclaiming the title. Teams have risen and fallen, but The Bavarians have always triumphed.
Despite struggling throughout the early 2000s and finishing in 13th as recently as the 2007/08 season, Dortmund are the latest team to challenge Bayern Munich for the crown after reemerging under famed manager Jurgen Klopp. Despite claiming back-to-back titles in the 2010/11 and 2011/12 seasons, Dortmund have fallen marginally short in three of the last four seasons. However, the fierce rivalry between the two competing sides has remained.
Bayern got the better of their rivals in the German Super Cup back in August, producing a 2-0 victory to start their season with yet more silverware. Soon after the season kicked off, Carlo Ancelotti’s side appeared to be running away with their fifth consecutive title, after recording five straight wins in the Bundesliga to make the top spot their own.
However, their form has declined in recent weeks, with just two wins resulting from their last five league matches, which has allowed newly promoted side RB Leipzig to draw level at the top of the table. Borussia Dortmund are still some way behind in fifth, but a victory in Saturday’s game would cut the deficit between them to just three points.
Although, Thomas Tuchel’s side haven’t been on the greatest of runs lately either. Despite winning four of their opening five matches, a disappointing 2-0 defeat to Bayer Leverkusen prompted a run of four matches without a win.
The news that star man Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang had been suspended by the club prior to their Champions League clash with Sporting CP added insult to injury. However, Aubameyang returned to the starting line-up for their league match against Hamburger SV and produced one of his best ever performances in a Dortmund shirt.
The in-form goalscorer netted four times in the space of 44 minutes to guide Dortmund to a 5-2 victory and their first win in five matches. The impressive performance took his tally for the season to 11 goals in just nine league matches, with the Gabon international on track to top his total of 25 goals in 31 games last season.
Yet more bad blood was generated over the summer as Bayern Munich snatched star defender Mats Hummels, who joined former Dortmund star Robert Lewandowski at the Allianz Arena, away from their rivals. Hummels was subjected to a torrent of abuse from his former club’s fans the last time these two side met, and the atmosphere is likely to be just as fiery upon his return to the Westfalenstadion on Saturday.