Borussia Dortmund's U19s will welcome Fortuna Düsseldorf to Hohenbuschei in the Bundesliga on Saturday morning (11:00 CET) for a season-defining fixture. The two teams currently occupy third and fourth place respectively with 21 points apiece, behind Borussia Mönchengladbach (23) and 1. FC Cologne (26). "We should win to make sure we don't lose touch," said coach Michael Skibbe.

The 2-1 victory over Inter Milan in the UEFA Youth League will have worked wonders for their self-confidence. Skibbe will be without his first-choice central defensive partnership of Ramzi Ferjani (ankle) and Niclas Knoop (hand injury), with Albin Thaqi and Tim Böhmer set to step in. However, he will be able to call on Giovanni Reyna, who has now returned from the U17 World Cup, and Immanuel Pherai, who has recovered from a recent knock.

Meanwhile, the U17s will visit Fortuna Düsseldorf on Saturday (11:00 CET) for their final Bundesliga match before Christmas. A win would ensure BVB finish 2019 as winter champions.

(wiwi)