Although this game won’t be a title decider as in previous seasons, Bayern’s home game against Borussia Dortmund this Saturday has by no means lost its significance in German football. It’s the first time in 14 years that Der Klassiker will be played in the second half of a season without either team being top of the table. That alone should be motivation enough for Bayern to want to lay down another marker against Dortmund.
135th meeting
This is the 135th edition of what’s now known as Der Klassiker since the creation of the Bundesliga in 1963. No other fixture has been played as often at professional level in Germany as Bayern against Dortmund. The Bavarians have been victorious in exactly half of those encounters (67), meaning they have inflicted more defeats on BVB than any other club has managed.
Long unbeaten run
There are once again three points on the line in this meeting, and Bayern have got into a habit of taking all three off Dortmund. Borussia have failed to win any of the last 11 competitive Klassikers, managing just one draw, with 10 Bayern wins. Only once before have the men from Munich managed such a long unbeaten run in this fixture, also going 11 without defeat between 1998 and 2002.
Historic goalscoring
Bayern have been hastily adding to their goals tally this season of late, putting eight past Mainz and then scoring five against Darmstadt last time out. It’s taken the team’s total to 78 after 26 matchdays, which equals their own Bundesliga record from 2020/21.
Kane in a league of his own
Harry Kane proved in the reverse fixture that he needed no time to adapt to this special fixture. The England striker became the first player ever to score a hat-trick on his Klassiker debut. He’s now on 31 Bundesliga goals for this season, which sees him well out in front in the league’s scoring chart. It’s also the most goals any player has ever scored in his maiden Bundesliga campaign and a new personal best for Kane, who never managed more than 30 in a Premier League season.
Musiala vs. Malen
Jamal Musiala has been in superb form of late. He scored twice and set up another for Serge Gnabry in the 5-2 win at Darmstadt, meaning the 21-year-old has either scored or assisted in each of his last five Bundesliga outings, managing five goals and four assists in that run. He’d only previously enjoyed such a prolific run in October/November 2022. But Dortmund also have their own in-form forward in Donyell Malen, who has four goals and an assist in his last five league appearances.
The unbeatable King
Kingsley Coman has never lost a Bundesliga Klassiker in 12 outings, winning 11 and drawing one. No other player has featured so often in this fixture without tasting defeat. The Frenchman also holds the record for longest winning run in this match-up at nine games.
Dortmund in form, but not against top sides
BVB come to Munich on the back of four straight wins in all competitions and eight away games without defeat. However, Borussia have struggled this season against top sides, failing to beat any of the current Bundesliga top five and picking up just one of a possible 12 points from those four fixtures.
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