The first Borussen derby of the season comes at a time when both Borussia Dortmund and Borussia Monchengladbach are struggling for consistency, making the upcoming clash far more unpredictable than usual.
It would be unfair to call Borussia Dortmund's performance poor, considering that they have only lost once in the Bundesliga, and that defeat came at the hands of Bayern Munich. But the Prussians have recorded just two wins in their last five games in the top flight, and their poor performances in the DFB Pokal and Champions League mustn't be overlooked.
In their last few games, Dortmund started strong and scored first, but then let their opponents back into the game. Whether it's because of focus issues or fatigue, it doesn't matter, but BVB can't afford any more mistakes.
After a brief period of four consecutive wins, Borussia Monchengladbach returned to their old ways and achieved only one victory in their last four matches, also being eliminated from the DFB Pokal.
Their only win in recent weeks was against struggling Mainz, who are at the bottom of the table, so this result should not be given too much attention. The fact is that the Foals have serious problems both in attack and in defense.
How the bookies view it: The Prussians to claim the points
Bookmakers expect the hosts to be the team that will break their losing streak with a win, with a huge difference in the odds.
At the moment, you can back Borussia Dortmund at 1/2, a draw at 15/4, or Borussia Monchengladbach at 5/1.
Recent head-to-head: Dortmund never lose at home
It is fair to say Borussia Dortmund have dominated the Borussen derby, and they have more home wins against this rival than against any other Bundesliga team. For instance, they won the last 12 home matches in a row.
At the same time, they won four of the last five H2Hs overall, while each of those games featured goals on both ends.
Players to watch: Tabakovic has what it takes to punish the hosts
One of the main problems Borussia Dortmund has had in failing to close out games in recent weeks is the poor form of their attacking players. Although we expect a goal-filled match, we would not risk betting on any of the team's typical goal scorers because their form has been inconsistent.
However, we can take a chance on Haris Tabakovic. The 31-year-old Borussia Monchengladbach striker is having a great season, despite the team's overall problems, and has scored at least once in seven of the team's last 10 games. If anyone can break through Dortmund's weakened defense, it's him.
Backed a player to find the net? Check our Goalscorer Betting guide to see how the markets work and where to find value.
Probable line-ups
Borussia Dortmund: Kobel, Can, Schlotterbeck, Bensebaini, Couto, Gross, Nmecha, Ryerson, Silva, Chukwuemeka, Guirassy
Borussia Monchengladbach: Nicolas, Sander, Elvedi, Diks, Castrop, Reitz, Engelhardt, Netz, Reyna, Machino, Tabakovic
Anything else catch the eye?
As previously mentioned, the last few H2Hs were intense, although BVB claimed the spoils in four out of five. What matters is that both teams were involved and Borussia Monchengladbach scored at least once in the last six cases. Moreover, six of the last seven H2Hs produced more than three goals.
This means you can back either of the goal markets or opt to combine them for better odds. Other than that, we believe Borussia Dortmund will score first again.
They were also in the lead at HT in four of the last five H2Hs. And they scored first in seven of their last eight matches this season.
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