Borussia Dortmund vs FC Bayern München – Der Klassiker, the biggest fixture in Germany’s domestic football calendar – has supporters the world over in frenzied anticipation, and Ottmar Hitzfeld is just one of the many millions waiting for that first whistle.

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A Bundesliga-winning coach with both clubs, the 67-year-old is ideally placed to offer his opinion ahead of Der Klassiker at SIGNAL IDUNA PARK on Saturday (kick-off: 18:30CET/17:30GMT). In an exclusive interview with bundesliga.com, Hitzfeld explains why he believes the men from Munich might just be favourites to win and offers his tip on who will come out on top in the race to be top goalscorer.

Overview: Der Klassiker goes global

bundesliga.com: Ottmar Hitzfeld, can we assume that the result this weekend won’t be as one-sided last the first Klassiker this season, when Bayern beat BVB 5-1?

Hitzfeld: Yes, definitely. You can always have games that basically offer no contest, but in a match like this – a clash between the league’s absolute best – it’ll more likely be a tightly-contested affair.

bundesliga.com: Are you surprised by how strong Dortmund have been this season? They have more points at this stage of a season than any other second-placed side in a Bundesliga history.

Hitzfeld: Not really. Dortmund obviously had a lot of problems last season, but they played a long way below their capabilities. The second half of last season showed us signs of what the team is capable of, and with a new coach this season, they have added motivation. Thomas Tuchel is doing a very good job with the team. He’s improved them and made them more solid.

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