SIGNAL IDUNA PARK is sold out again for the first time in more than two years, with 81,365 fans set to attend the top match between Borussia Dortmund and Rasenballsport Leipzig on Saturday evening (kick-off at 18:30 CET). "We're hugely excited about the fact everyone will be there," said Marco Rose at the start of the pre-match press conference, where the coach gave his usual insights into the available personnel and the upcoming opponent.

"This can give us a real boost. It'll be football as we love it once again. The fact the stadium is sold out is a special moment." Rose has already played and coached in front of a full house in Dortmund with other clubs ("always unpleasant and difficult") but now he – and some of his players too – are gearing up for their first home game watched by a sell-out crowd. "Jude Bellingham has not yet played in front of a full stadium in Dortmund. It will give us all a lot. But we also need to use it in our favour." The players are excited for Saturday evening. "Our captain has been walking around the changing room smiling for days," revealed the coach.  

It is still unclear whether Erling Haaland will be able to face Leipzig, after taking a knock to his ankle while playing for Norway over the international break. "His foot is enlarged, swollen and blue. We need to wait and see how things develop," said Rose. It's looking "pretty good" for Thorgan Hazard, continued Rose, adding that "we'll keep an eye on him in training". The rest of the players who linked up with their countries over the break have returned injury-free. Giovanni Reyna is set to be the last to return, having played for the USA against Costa Rica in the early hours of Thursday morning. Youssoufa Moukoko is being slowly eased back into team training and could be included in the squad for the Leipzig game.

The opposition will travel to the Ruhr in fourth place. But the side from Saxony are level with BVB at the top of the standings based on results solely from the second half of the season, with both teams having taken 23 points from 10 games since the turn of the year. "Leipzig are a top team with incredible individual quality and a big squad," said Rose of the opponent. "They have settled into a formation with a back three that is a very good fit for them. They're versatile in midfield, we're preparing for that. It'll be a top match."

We do have a request to all spectators attending the top match: Please travel as early as possible, there may be queues and waiting times for the first game with over 80,000 spectators in two years. Additionally, there is the challenge of applying the 3G rule in a full-capacity stadium. Everyone will benefit greatly from you arriving at the stadium early.
Christina Reinke

BVB TV by 1&1: The press conference prior to the Leipzig game