Giants of German football Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund kick-off the first ‘Klassiker’ of the season this Saturday.
It’s an absolutely vital fixture – a pitch fork in the road to where the Meisterschale will end up.
The race to the title will be a relentless battle of who can tally up the most victories with Bayern and BVB the dominant forces in German football.
Since shock defeats on the second day of the season both sides have restarted their respective victory trains, winning four on the bounce.
Bayern are the top goalscorers in the division, netting fifteen times in four matches since losing to Hoffenheim.
Dortmund are the division miserlies, having conceded just two goals in the league this season (both against Augsburg) and keeping four clean sheets on the bounce.
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The two best strikers on the planet
There are match-ups all over the pitch but the biggest contest is between the two sides’ frontmen Robert Lewandowski and Erling Haaland.
Haaland has been a sensation since joining Dortmund, scoring twenty-six goals in twenty-eight appearances.
This season he’s averaging a goal every 77 minutes in the league having scored five in five.
At the ripe age of thirty-two, in the last two seasons Lewan has taken the gauntlet and challenged for the title of Bayern’s greatest ever striker.
Whilst the Polish ace won’t beat Muller’s all time goal scoring record for Bayern, his goals per minute ratio is almost as good as ‘der Bomber’.
As of the end of last season, Lewan nets every 109 minutes.
By the end of his career it was calculated Muller found the net every 106 minutes, building up a total of 565 goals scored for Bayern.
This season Lewan is scoring in the league at a rate of 37 minutes a goal – yes, you read that right. The Pole has scored an outrageous ten in five appearances.
Striking styles of play
It’s hard to sum up Haaland as a striker. The first thing to notice is the size of him, yet for such a big man the Norwegian forward is surprisingly good with his feet.
Haaland seems to have a natural sense of timing in the box that allows him to finish off moves with one touch, whilst when he’s holding up the ball the defender might as well be marking the striker from central Moscow.
Who ever has the unenviable task of trying to get the ball off Haaland will not succeed.
Lewan is not as imposing a physical specimen as Haaland, however what the Bayern forward lacks in strength he makes up for in guile.
There is no striker in world football more focused, skilled and adapt at finishing, especially in the box.
When Lewan is on the pitch, you get the sense he knows he’s going to score.
Wise young Bellingham
“Honestly, people’s opinions change like the weather. One minute you’re the best, the next you’re not ready.“
English midfielder Jude Bellingham spoke to the BBC before ‘Der Klassiker’ about life in Dortmund.
The teenager is currently living in an apartment in the centre of the city which, like everywhere, is under huge limitations on what can be done while the coronavirus pandemic bites the continent.
Jude says he’s getting support from his mum and lessons every week in German to try learn the language.
He comes across as a young man with an old head on his shoulders, never getting carried away with the hype round him whilst he was at Birmingham City.
Bellinghman told the BBC: “I’m never too interested in what people say and never wanted to get involved in it because, honestly, people’s opinions change like the weather. One minute you’re the best, the next you’re not ready.”
Bellingham chose Dortmund over Man Utd even after Sir Alex Ferguson had given him a personal tour of Carrington.
The English midfielder chose Signal Aduna Park over Old Trafford because he saw BVB has a track record of giving opportunity to youngsters quickly.
Bellingham said: “It’s as clear as day if you come here and do the right things, you will get your opportunity. Throw them in the deep end and see what they can do.”
Full interview with Jude Bellingham by Simon Stone on the BBC Sport website.
Player comparisons
Jadon Sancho v Leroy Sane
Eyes are always on Sancho, the trail blazer who has shown aspiring English footballers they can make it on the continent.
Jadon is the most high profile British player outside the UK and Man Utd’s failed £100m bid for the forward in the summer is well documented.
He’ll be desperate to answer recent questions about his form and whether having his head turned by Man Utd has had a detrimental effect on his Dortmund career.
Another big money player is Leroy Sane who joined Bayern for an eye watering £60m fee after becoming unsure of game time at Manchester City.
Questions will be answered at the Allianz Arena over erratic form held in comparison to performances that, when good, can make Sane unplayable.
Serge Gnabry v Giovanni Reyna
Gnabry has never looked back after leaving Arsenal. The forward is an integral part of Bayern’s attack and a major source of goals, netting one in every two games last season and already scoring four in the league this campaign.
Eighteen next Friday but already Reyna has put in twenty-one appearances for Dortmund’s first team since joining in 2019. A silky player who could surpass the exploits of father and Rangers’ legend Claudio.
Joshua Kimmich v Mahoud Dahoud
Engine rooms. Comparisons in horse power and seconds to get from nought to sixty are done here.
Kimmich is Bayern’s Steven Gerrard – the midfield everyman, tracking back and defending as well as chipping in with goals and being a vital supply line to the strikers.
Dahoud is still at the early stages of his career after a tricky start to life – the Syrian born German international had to flee his homeland because of the wars under the Assad regime.
Good recent performances in the heart of midfield have awarded Dahoud with a starting birth over Bellingham.
Prediction: Borussia Dortmund 1 – 2 Bayern Munich
Dortmund are notoriously slow starters and their form can be a little erratic even though they usually seem to get over the line.
Bayern are currently the all conquering winning machine under Hansi Flick.
The Bavarians have won the last three against Dortmund and scored thirteen to four in the last five meetings.
Borussia Dortmund v Bayern Munich, Bundesliga, Sat 7th Nov, 17:30 KO
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Harry Jamshid Reporter Sports Pages 