No other fixture captures the imagination of so many fans: Almost 5 million people have watched the 88 Bundesliga derbies that have taken place so far between Black and Yellow and Royal Blue from the terraces. Every meeting in Dortmund between the two has sold out since 1987.

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How things stand: Sixth against fourteenth. Borussia have only picked up two points from their last three games. Schalke are making up ground after a poor start, having gone on a mini-run to collect seven points from the their last three matches.

Home and Away: Borussia Dortmund have won three of their four home matches this season, and, across seasons, are unbeaten in 25 home games, a new record for the club in the Bundesliga. In those same 25 encounters, they have always scored at least one goal. The last home defeat occurred on 4. April 2015, a 0-1 loss to Bayern Munich. Schalke have lost three of their four away games this season. Their last away win was on 14. May 2016, a 1-4 defeat of Hoffenheim.

Personnel: Schürrle is back in the squad, and there is hope for Aubameyang. The following players will be absent: Guerreiro, Schmelzer (torn fibres in both cases), Bender (bone marrow oedema), Reus, Subotic (both lacking match fitness), Durm (knee operation). Schalke travel to Dortmund without Coke (torn cruciate ligament), Embolo (fractured ankle and fibular) and Uchida (lacking match fitness), and are uncertain about Goretzka and di Santo.

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Head to head: Going into the 149. Ruhr Derby, Schalke still have their noses in front thanks to their successes during the days of the district league (58 wins, 39 draws, 51 defeats). BVB have lost only one of the last six encounters (September 2014 away at S04), but have only won four of the 17 derbies that have taken place at Strobelallee this millennium. Against no other team have Schalke conceded more penalties than against BVB (14), and have won only once in Dortmund after conceding the first goal (1-2 on 13. August 2005). They have failed to maintain a lead here on 11 occasions. This particular derby has finished 0-0 on 09 occasions, and indeed no other Bundesliga fixture has ended more often in a no score draw. There have been no red cards in the last eleven encounters between the two.

Statistics: BVB have only kept a clean sheet in one of their last eleven Bundesliga matches (the 6-0 against Darmstadt), but with 20 goals to their name, are in possession of the best attack in the league. Borussia have not lost one of the last 16 games in which they took a 1-0 lead. Schalke, though, have left the field of play twice already this season as losers after having led.

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Highest home win: Match day 23 in the 1965/66 season saw the 'Borussen' sweep their rivals clean out of the Ruhr with a 7-0 win in the Rote Erde stadium. Siggi Held, Aki Schmidt, Held once more, Wilhelm Sturm, Hoppy Kurrat, Schmidt again and Lothar Emmerich all scored on the 26. February 1966 in front of 30,000 spectators.

Referee: Dr. Felix Brych from Munich will officiate his third Ruhr derby. On the 20. October 2012, the Royal Blues won away 2-1, while on the 8. November 2015, the Black and Yellows were victorious, 3-2. The 41 year old referee, who has officiated world cup matches, has overseen 29 matches involving BVB so far in the Bundesliga (18 victories, 8 draws, 3 defeats).
Compiled by Boris Rupert