Bayern Meets Dortmund as Big 2 Clash in Bundesliga
Borussia Dortmund will need to stop the seemingly unstoppable at Bayern Munich on Saturday to retain any realistic hopes of successfully defending its Bundesliga title.
Dortmund is already 11 points behind the league leader, which has won 12 games from 14 and lost just once, becoming the fastest side in 50 years of the Bundesliga to claim the unofficial title of "autumn champion."
Dortmund dropped to third after stumbling to a 1-1 draw with promoted Fortuna Duesseldorf on Tuesday, its fifth draw. Another setback on Saturday would surely end its hopes of a third consecutive title.
Dortmund defender Neven Subotic believes his side always bounces back from a negative result: "That's one of our hallmarks."
Bayern has lost its last two home league games to Dortmund, and is relishing the prospect of revenge.
Its 2-1 win over Dortmund in the German Supercup in August ended a run of five consecutive defeats to the league and cup champion.
"Everyone is looking forward to the top game," said Bayern captain Philipp Lahm. 'Especially us players!"
Bayern kept its 10th clean sheet in the Bundesliga in Wednesday's hard-fought 2-0 win in Freiburg, where coach Jupp Heynckes rested midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger with an eye on Saturday's game.
"Bastian has played in every game the last weeks," Heynckes said. "He's the player who delivers the big performances. So it was appropriate to give him a rest."
Arjen Robben is also working to be fit, but Bayern has such strength in depth that the Dutchman's absence with a torn muscle has barely been felt the last two weeks.
Mario Gomez made his first start following his comeback from ankle surgery in August, giving Heynckes the luxury of three top-class forwards up front. Mario Mandzukic and Claudio Pizarro had already chipped in 18 goals across all competitions, including the Supercup.
Bayern is driven by the ignominy of two years without a title and it started the Bundesliga with eight wins in a row, with no goals conceded in its first five away games, while it has scored 40 in all and conceded just five — a record after 14 games.
Bayern's players are careful not to let the platitudes go to their heads.
"The 'autumn championship' means nothing. You could see that last year," said Toni Kroos, referring to Bayern's second-place finish despite leading at the winter break.
"We heard the waffle about the 'autumn championship' last year too," said Thomas Mueller. "You still need a second half to the season as well."
Dortmund was without playmaker Mario Gotze, midfielder Ilkay Guendogan and defender Mats Hummels because of injuries against Duesseldorf, but they are all likely to feature in Munich.
"Ultimately there are 'only' three points at stake there. The two points would have done us well today," said Dortmund captain Sebastian Kehl after Tuesday's draw.
Kehl was making his return from injury, and came off with a little over 20 minutes remaining to keep fresh for Saturday.
"Of course we'll try to win. But Bayern have a huge lead and they're playing consistent football," Kehl said.
Elsewhere, Schalke hopes to overcome an alarming dip in form — just four points from five games — when it hosts Borussia Moenchengladbach on Saturday.
"We haven't played well in out last away games. (Three loses.) Thankfully we're playing at home again this weekend," Schalke coach Huub Stevens said Thursday.
Also Saturday, second-place Bayer Leverkusen hosts Nuremberg, Hannover visits Mainz, Augsburg plays Freiburg and Stuttgart visits second-from bottom Greuther Fuerth.
Hoffenheim coach Markus Babbel needs a win at home against Werder Bremen on Sunday to boost his job security after the club's worst start to a Bundesliga campaign since securing promotion in 2008. Hoffenheim's 4-2 defeat to fellow strugglers Nuremberg left the side entrenched in the relegation play-off place.
Also Sunday, Wolfsburg hopes to get back to winning ways after its defeat to Moenchengladbach when it hosts Hamburger SV, buoyant after beating Schalke for its first win without talisman injured Rafael van der Vaart.
Fortuna Duesseldorf opens the 15th round at home to Eintracht Frankfurt on Friday.
Source: Associated Press
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