Borussia Dortmund and Bayern Munich set for title-defining Klassiker
Borussia Dortmund and Bayern Munich go into Der Klassiker on Matchday 24 as genuine title rivals and in some of the best form their clubs and German football have ever witnessed.
Two star-studded sides with their eyes on one trophy - and just one defeat each so far this season.
Der Klassiker is always a spine-tingling battle between the two biggest clubs in the land, but with Dortmund determined to do everything to wrestle the title out of Bayern's grasp with the famous Yellow Wall behind them, we could just have a Klassiker for the ages in store this coming Saturday (kick-off: 6.30 pm CET).
As strong as Bayern have been this season, Dortmund are daring to believe they can do the improbable and knock Bayern off their throne.
Their steely play under Niko Kovač has given them a remarkable record, after all, of just one Bundesliga defeat in their past 31 Bundesliga matches going back to last spring.
The eight-point gap behind Bayern does not take away from the fact only three sides in Bundesliga history have been second at this stage of the season with a better record than the Black-Yellows' in the current campaign.
Watch: Dortmund's top 5 goals this season
The seriously strong spine to their side, featuring goalkeeper Gregor Kobel, centre-back Waldemar Anton and midfielder Felix Nmecha, could be boosted by the return of defensive stalwart Nico Schlotterbeck from injury.
With Serhou Guirassy hitting his best scoring stride with a run of six goals in four matches prior to their 2-2 draw at RB Leipzig last weekend, Dortmund can be a match for Bayern all over the pitch and are ready to take the huge step of claiming the defending champions' scalp in a Klassiker.
More reasons Dortmund will win
Watch: BVB's 'Schlotti' flexing all-round prowess
Bayern also have ample reasons to believe they can win at their big rivals and further extend their league lead.
With the remarkable Harry Kane spearheading a free-wheeling attack with his 28 goals so far this season, there is little any team in football can do to stop them when they perform at their best.
Should Kane be somehow kept quiet, there are the likes of Luis Díaz, Jamal Musiala and Michael Olise ready to pounce - with numerous records in their sights.
Watch: Luis Díaz decoded
The Bundesliga's strongest defence can also be thrown into the bargain, anchored by the superbly accomplished Jonathan Tah since his switch from Bayer Leverkusen last summer.
Incredibly, the champions are also the league's best in terms of possession (averaging 62 percent per match) and distance covered (123.7 kilometres per match) - and have every hope of landing a statement win with such a variety of strengths.
Watch: Bayern won this season's first Klassiker
The stars simply cannot wait to enter the fray for the biggest match of the 2025/26 Bundesliga season. Díaz recently told the Bundesliga: “I’ve seen Klassikers before, and they say it’s especially good to play in Dortmund because they have an amazing atmosphere, it’s a big stadium, and obviously they’re a big team."
A relative Klassiker veteran, meanwhile, Kobel added that the fixture is "one of the highlights of the season." The BVB shotstopper said: "It will be tough, we know about their strengths and quality, but we believe in our qualities as well."
Watch: Bayern take narrow win in first Klassiker of season
Whatever the outcome, the latest edition of Der Klassiker promises to be an unmissable clash!
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