Borussia Dortmund's intense run of seven games in three weeks will end when they take on FC Bayern Munich in a top-of-the-table clash on Saturday (kick-off 18:30 CET). BVB have won five of their six games during that period – losing only to Lazio in Rome – and will be hoping to keep the three points in Dortmund at the weekend too.

The game of the round sees second-placed Borussia Dortmund host league leaders Bayern Munich. Both teams are level on 15 points at the summit, with only goal difference separating them. "There's always a very big incentive when you play against Bayern Munich. We believe in ourselves and we want to give it everything in order to win the game," said sporting director Michael Zorc, who went on to point out that the last two meetings between the two teams were particularly tight and were ultimately decided by a single goal.

BVB lost 1-0 in the Bundesliga at the end of May. And then lost the Super Cup in Munich at the end of September 3-2, the Bavarians scoring a late winner after their two-goal lead had been cancelled out by Borussia. "Our two matches against Bayern were good. We should've at least drawn 1-1 a few months ago, and we played well in the Super Cup too," said Lucien Favre ahead of the latest showdown. "We need to perform even better and defend very well." 

Michael Zorc believes that the Black & Yellows are on the right track. "Our recent approach has been the right one. And now we obviously want to beat Bayern." BVB have kept clean sheets in each of their past four matches. "What counts is that everyone is defending. That's the most important thing," said Lucien Favre of his side's defensive work. "We always speak about the defence, but a team needs to defend together. That starts with the strikers."

It remains unclear what the defence will look like on Saturday. The biggest doubts surround Emre Can and Mats Hummels. Can has recovered from a coronavirus infection and returned to team training on Thursday. Favre said: "We mustn't forget that he's been out for a while. But he's doing well." Hummels had to go off with an injury against Arminia Bielefeld last week. In his case too, a decision about whether he can play will only be made on the day of the game.

As well as the defence, the focus on Saturday will be on the two strikers – Erling Haaland on the one hand and former Borussia Dortmund forward Robert Lewandowski on the other. Michael Zorc knows them both: "They're different types of players. Both score buckets full of goals. But for age-related reasons, we should not compare them. Erling is almost obsessed with success; he's an incredible help to us with his desire." Haaland has racked up five goals in the Bundesliga and was on the scoresheet twice against FC Brugge in the UEFA Champions League in midweek; Lewandowski's haul in the Bundesliga stands at 10 goals, while he also netted twice in Europe's elite club competition on Tuesday.
Christina Reinke

BVB TV by 1&1: FC Bayern Munich pre-match press conference