League leaders Bayern Munich host second-placed Borussia Dortmund on Saturday, with each side unbeaten after opening the season in high type.
Bayern have gained 10 from 10 in all competitions, scoring 36 objectives and conceding seven.
Star striker Harry Kane is on arguably his career-best type.
The 32-year-old, who scored a brace in Tuesday’s 5-0 thumping of Latvia on England responsibility, has 18 objectives and three assists in these 10 matches for Bayern.
Whereas Bayern have barnstormed their technique to the highest of the Bundesliga and Champions League tables, Dortmund are quietly placing collectively a robust opening of their very own.
Dortmund are unbeaten in 9 video games in all competitions and sit 4 factors behind Bayern in second.
A double winner at Bayern earlier than getting the sack half a yr later, Niko Kovac, now Dortmund supervisor, mentioned his aspect have to be courageous in Munich.
“It’ll be tough if we play too cautiously,” Kovac mentioned Thursday. “Simply defending gained’t work. We respect one another however we have to take the initiative.
“If we play like we did final yr in Munich, we’ll have likelihood, however we must be courageous.
“We do see what sort of type Bayern are on. It’s uncommon for a staff to carry out so effectively.”
Within the match nicknamed ‘Der Klassiker’ in a bid to echo La Liga’s El Clasico, the fixture has tended to mark the tip of Dortmund’s title ambitions.
Dortmund have misplaced eight of their previous 10 matches towards Bayern in Munich.
However Dortmund are on their finest run versus the Bavarians since Jurgen Klopp’s tenure.
Dortmund have gained one and drawn two of their previous three video games towards Bayern, together with a 2-0 win on the Allianz Area in 2024.
Now working the present at Pink Bull, mum or dad firm of rivals RB Leipzig, Klopp himself is not going to be tuning in.
Talking from the Spanish island of Mallorca, the place he spends a lot of his time, former Liverpool supervisor Klopp informed Germany’s RTL on Thursday he would “most likely not have time” to look at.
“If I didn’t must work, I’d undoubtedly watch the sport.”
One to look at: Loic Bade (Bayer Leverkusen)
After a tumultuous summer time rebuild with round a dozen new arrivals, France centre-back Loic Bade has shortly established himself on the coronary heart of Bayer Leverkusen’s defence.
Bade, 25, is an assured presence in central defence, exhibiting composure and management in a staff in transition.
Praising his “superb” performances on the pitch, Leverkusen sporting director Simon Rolfes informed AFP on Thursday “it’s essential as effectively how he acts off the pitch.
“He’s a connector within the locker room language-wise, but additionally by way of character and tradition.
“Loic has character — and you’ll really feel that.”
Key stats
10 – Dortmund’s 2-0 win over Bayern in 2024 was their first within the league in Munich in 10 years courting again to a 3-0 win in 2014.
11 – Harry Kane has 11 objectives in six Bundesliga video games this season.
1 – Dortmund striker Serhou Guirassy, who on Thursday was cleared to play, has solely failed to attain or help in one in all his eight matches this season. He has six objectives and three assists.
Fixtures (1330 GMT except acknowledged)
Friday
Union Berlin v Borussia Moenchengladbach (1830)
Saturday
Mainz v Bayer Leverkusen, RB Leipzig v Hamburg, Cologne v Augsburg, Heidenheim v Werder Bremen, Wolfsburg v Stuttgart, Bayern Munich v Borussia Dortmund (1630)
Sunday
Freiburg v Eintracht Frankfurt, St Pauli v Hoffenheim (1530)
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