The run-up to Borussia Dortmund's top-of-the-table clash with Bayern Munich has been somewhat overshadowed by the club's lengthy injury list and the congested fixture schedule. Nonetheless, the Black and Yellows will still be aiming to get something from the game when they take on the Bavarians at the Allianz Arena on Saturday (18:30 CET). "We've been extremely good as underdogs this season and have performed particularly well against all the top teams," Thomas Tuchel said.

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Borussia edged the Bavarians in the reverse fixture, winning 1-0.

Borussia will be without Reus, Götze, Schürrle, Durm and Rode in the Bavarian capital, while there are also doubts surrounding the involvement of Piszczek, Kagawa, Weigl and Bartra. So it's easy to see what Thomas Tuchel means when he voices his concerns about the situation, especially as his team face Monaco in an "important phrase of the Champions League" in just three days. "In terms of recovery time, Bayern have a slight advantage, as they don't play until Wednesday and recently rested several key players in Hoffenheim."

The BVB boss is expecting the men from Munich "to line up with the same team tomorrow that they'll play with on Wednesday", when Real Madrid are in town. "For us it's slightly more complicated, because we're away on the Saturday, playing away again on the Tuesday and have a lot of injuries." Another factor in play ahead of this Bundesliga battle is that "we're playing against each other again in two and a half weeks. The two teams won't put all their cards on the table until the [DFB Cup] semi-final."

"Show them ways in which one can hurt Bayern"

Thomas Tuchel, who has beaten Bayern Munich more than any other current Bundesliga coach, will identify "spaces and ways in which one can hurt Bayern" to his decimated but highly motivated team. There will be a discussion about chance conversion as well. "But we need to take care that we don't get too strict; we need to weigh it against how we perform, who is missing and who is going to compensate for those absences."

Anyone wanting to pick up points in Munich needs to be clinical in front of goal, as the Black and Yellows have shown they can be in certain matches this season. Referring to the Bundesliga table, the coach said: "We're responsible for our own objectives. Every game matters now." No matter how inopportune a moment this might be for a trip to Munich. Getting points on the board is therefore still the objective – regardless of the injuries. "We know what is possible," Tuchel said. "We've been extremely good as underdogs this season and performed particularly well against all the top teams. So we'll go to the Allianz Arena in confident mood."

Boris Rupert

Here's how they might line up