The last edition of Der Klassiker this season couldn't have been scheduled at a more difficult time than this. How will the two managers handle this clash after both teams lost in the Champions League this week?
Bayern Munich suffereed a surprising defeat at Allianz Arena when they met Inter Milan on Tuesday. But losing 1-2 is not that bad and the Bavarians might turn it around next week. The same cannot be said about Borussia Dortmund, who were trashed 4-0 at Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys. While we've seen miracles in the CL before, no one expects BVB to achieve anything significant in the rematch vs Barcelona.
This, however, means that Niko Kovac may throw more resourses into the derby with Bayern Munich, while Vincent Kompany might opt into resting some of his stars ahead of the CL rematch. Bayern Munich also have some room for errors with the six point lead over Bayer Leverkusen, while Borussia Dortmund are chasing the Top 4 and need every winnable point in the remaining six rounds.
How the bookies view it: The Bavarians got the nod
Bookmakers envision a one-sided contest and give the Bavarians a significant advantage despite all the uncertainties around this fixture. You can pick Bayern Munich at 9/20, the draw at 17/4, or Borussia Dortmund at 5/1.
Recent head to head: Dortmund can make it three in a row without a defeat
Der Klassiker has always been the most attractive German derby, although Bayern Munich have dominated the rivalry for the most part. The Bavarians have seven wins in the last 10 H2Hs, while Borussia Dortmund have only one. The reverse fixture this season, however, ended in a 1-1 draw.
Players to watch: Olise-Kane link-up
We all know Harry Kane is going to play every possible minute until the end of the season and try to score as many goals as possible. But the main man behind his scoring success lately is named Michael Olise. The 23-year-old is the best provider in the league with 12 assists to date and he also provided the assist for the late equalizer in the reverse fixture, which saved Bayern Munich.
Probable line-ups
Bayern Munich: Urbig, Stanisic, Kim, Dier, Laimer, Kimmich, Palhinha, Sane, Muller, Olise, Kane
Borussia Dortmund: Kobel, Bensebaini, Can, Anton, Ryerson, Gross, Gittens, Chukwuemeka, Brandt, Adeyemi, Guirassy
Anything else catch the eye?
In the past, Der Klassiker produced extreme results on a regular, with eight of the last ten H2Hs featuring at least four goals. The last two encounters, however, finished with unders, and it was entirely because Bayern Munich underperformed. This one carries a different feeling as neither side will want to drop points at the final stage of the season.
Although both teams have to come back from defeats in the Champions League next week, we expect both managers to come out with the best they've got. Vincent Kompany, in particular, already tried to rest his starters recently and lost 2-3 to Bochum at home. He can't afford the same mistake against BVB. We expect goals and quite possibly a resounding home win.
This German Bundesliga match between Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund will be played on and kick off at 17:30. Check below for our tipsters best Bayern Munich vs Borussia Dortmund prediction. You may also visit our dedicated betting previews section for the most up to date previews.
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