Borussia Dortmund vs. Bayern Munich: Fixture, Spuads and Ranking

Borussia Dortmund vs. Bayern Munich: How do they stack up in Der Klassiker?

Stars collide when Jude Bellingham clashes with Jamal Musiala and Sadio Mane in Der Klassiker.

The scenario is set for a thrilling Der Klassiker as Borussia Dortmund hosts Bayern Munich on Saturday. Captain Jude Bellingham, Jamal Musiala, back scoring, Sadio Mane, and top spot are all key players.

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This Season so far

Since Marco Rose was removed as the team’s full-time coach in 2021–2022, Edin Terzic, a caretaker coach who won the DFB Cup, hasn’t taken any half measures. This season, they have won five and lost three of their eight Bundesliga games. Even though it is still early after Erling Haaland’s departure, BVB has scored an uncharacteristically low number of goals (just 11). On the other side, ten goals against suggests a welcome addition of defensive toughness. In each of the previous seven seasons, the Black-Yellows had shipped at least 20 at this point.

Bayern and Dortmund are tied for third place in terms of points, but Bayern has a far better goal differential (+17 to +1). The defending champions destroyed Bayer Leverkusen 4-0 last time out to snap a four-match winless streak (D3, L1). Over the course of their opening eight games, they have scored about 23 goals, including four or more on three different occasions. The Leverkusen romp was also their third league-wide clean sheet, one less than Dortmund.

It sounds like Sadio Mane can’t to play in front of the Yellow Wall in Der Klassiker.

Goals for, Goals Against

In 2022–2023, seven different players have scored goals for Dortmund. Along with fellow midfielder Julian Brandt and 17-year-old forward Youssoufa Moukoko, Marco Reus is one of three players with two goals. Marius Wolf, Raphael Guerreiro, Jamie Bynoe-Gittens, a young attacker, and Anthony Modeste, a former Cologne striker, all have one each.

The number of different goal scorers for Bayern is now a league-best 10. With five out of seven appearances, Musiala leads the group, followed by Mane (four) and Leroy Sane (three). Joshua Kimmich, Thomas Müller, Serge Gnabry, and the center of the midfield have all scored twice. Ben Pavard at right back, Matthijs de Ligt at center defense, Kingsley Coman on the flank, and Mathys Tel, a 17-year-old striker, are all one on one. Bayern also scored an own goal, same like BVB.

Dortmund is down 3.62 on an estimate of 14.62 expected goals (xG) (11 scored). Additionally, they are losing for xG versus (8.18, 10 conceded). Bayern, in comparison, is performing better than anticipated in both areas. The Bavarians are just over a goal under their xG against with an xG of 20.75 (2.25 less than their actual total) (7.28, six conceded).

Key players

Bayern’s abundance of attacking resources helps to explain why, at times, they seem to be scoring just for pleasure. With six goals and seven assists across all competitions, the balletic Musiala has evolved from last season’s impact sub to an unstoppable member of Julian Nagelsmann’s versatile four-man front line. Mane has found his groove again playing on the left wing, building on his goal against Leverkusen with a goal and an assist in the 5-0 UEFA Champions League demolition of Viktoria Plzen. Sane, who has been dashing by the week on the other wing, highlighted his position above Gnabry in the pecking order with a stunning brace against the Czech champions. The latter, however, might start against Dortmund given that Müller is questionable.

The health of Kimmich, Bayern’s replacement for Bellingham at BVB, is also in question, leaving Leon Goretzka and Marcel Sabitzer as the likely double pivot in center midfield. Defender Lucas Hernandez is definitely out, and Coman can only hope to fill in after suffering an injury of his own. Bayern has kept back-to-back clean sheets, which is good news for de Ligt’s performances, and they can always rely on the extra width supplied by roving full-backs Pavard and Alphonso Davies. The 31-time Bundesliga champions are in complete control if the game is to be decided in the half and wide areas.

There are other game-changers available to Terzic besides Bellingham. Before suffering an ankle injury in the Revierderby victory over Schalke, which was determined by the outstanding Moukoko, Reus had two goals and as many assists. There is speculation of Modeste starting against Bayern since the French striker has yet to establish his rhythm. Since joining from Cologne, he has scored only once in seven Bundesliga games. Similar to Reus in terms of goal contributions, Julian Brandt is a lock for one of the three attacking midfield positions. Thorgan Hazard, Donyell Malen, and the erratic trio Karim Adeyemi will compete for the final two spots. Gio Reyna is a serious question.

Dortmund has the means to damage Bayern, but how they handle the unrelenting waves of attack from the reigning champions might make the difference between a successful outcome and one to regret. Terzic has strengthened a defense that allowed 52 goals last season, more than any side that finished in the top eight. Despite blowing leads in losses to Cologne (3-1) and Werder Bremen (3-2), Terzic has improved a defense.

Although experienced center-back Hummels has been the star, Germany’s Niklas Süle and Nico Schlotterbeck were acquired specifically for that reason. With Hummels on the field, Dortmund has allowed just one goal in 512 minutes, compared to one goal every 23 minutes without him, and has won all six league games in which the former Bayern player has started, including four to nil. It’s no accident that his 62nd-minute exit coincided with the three late Bremen goals allowed on Matchday 3. Gregor Kobel, the team’s starting goalkeeper, will also soon return from injury. With three shutouts, he is equal to Manuel Neuer of Bayern Munich, although having played in three less games.

The coaches

A perfect fit Terzic has the option of playing three at the back with Hummels, as he has occasionally done this season in the middle of games. His preferred configuration is a 4-2-3-1, though. Even though Davies prefers to play more like an aggressive winger when Bayern is in possession of the ball, this means that he will be matching Nagelsmann like for like.

Although Bayern have a propensity to dominate their opponents, there is a strategy for beating them. They drew with Borussia Mönchengladbach, Union Berlin, and VfB Stuttgart between Matchdays 4 and 7, then lost 1-0 to Augsburg, ending their streak of scoring in 87 straight Bundesliga games. And while unfavorable circumstances and heroic goalkeeping had a hand in it, Bayern was ultimately defeated by good ol’ fashioned hustling, long passes, and rapier-like counterattacks.

Will Youssoufa Moukoko, a young attacker, be used by Edin Terzic (c) against Bayern?

History

However, nine goals against no responses in games against Leverkusen and Plzen implies Bayern has learned from its mistakes. In Der Klassiker, they also have a propensity of turning the volume up.

In 2021/22, Nagelsmann oversaw victories of 3-1 (Supercup), 3-2 (away), and 3-1 over Dortmund, the latter of which sealed the title and extended the streak of unbeaten competition to eight competitive Klassikers. Bayern was defeated by BVB in the Bundesliga for the first time since November 2018 (3-2), while Terzic lost his only previous match against the red ballet 4-2. (March 2021). But it’s important to remember that Borussia has never lost nine straight games to a rival.

Although Robert Lewandowski’s summer transfer to Barcelona eliminates the scourge-of-Dortmund element from the equation (the Pole scored 23 goals in 16 top-flight outings against his former employers), Bayern still holds a significant head-to-head advantage (W53, D29, L26).

Dortmund vs. Bayern is going to be fantastic. ClevPicks.com will be with you to watch the Der Klassiker, of course, predictions will be posted on our website later today. Please keep following, keep believing.

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