If there is one team that can stop Bayern Munich’s rampant attack, it would appear to be arch-rivals this evening as Dortmund host Bayern Munich at Signal Iduna Park, in Der Klassiker which is the biggest game in the German top-flight reports OLUWAMAYOMIKUN OREKOYA*.
Nowadays, matches between Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund are standout fixtures on the footballing calendar, both at home in Germany and abroad. Although the ‘German Clasico’ may not hold the same social and political meaning as similar fixtures around the world, Der Klassiker is still a match-up worthy of the name.
First of all, it’s worth noting that the Klassiker is similar only in name, not in nature to the Clasico of Spain or even the Superclasico of Argentina. Nor is it a derby like that of Milan, the Old Firm in Glasgow, and the North-West derby in England or Dortmund’s Revierderby.
In Spain, the rivalry is highly political with Real representing Spanish nationalism, conservatism and centralism in the national capital. Barcelona as a club have positioned themselves as a representative of Catalan nationalism and progressive beliefs in stark contrast to those from Madrid. El Clasico has become a vehicle for these political differences to be played out on the sporting field.
In Argentina, the rivalry is of national importance but cantered on the capital of Buenos Aires. It is based more on proximity and social differences, with supporters of Boca Juniors traditionally seen as more working class, while those of River Plate are supposedly upper class.
Scotland’s Celtic and Rangers are divided on religious and sectarian lines, as well as geographical proximity in Glasgow. The latter is also key to the rivalries between those of AC Milan and Inter, or Liverpool and Manchester United, or Dortmund and Schalke, but that is exacerbated by on-field success on both the domestic and international stage.
It is that aspect of the rivalry that has seen fixtures between Bayern and Dortmund labelled as ‘Der Klassiker’, but it is a far more recent phenomenon.
While the two clubs with the highest average attendances in Europe over recent years have won 22 of the last 26 Bundesliga titles between them that has admittedly been dominated by the Munich side.
Prior to that, however, while Bayern were crowned champions 11 times since the founding of the Bundesliga in 1963, BVB were rarely at the races. Finishes of fourth, third, second and third in the first four years of the league were the best it got domestically for the Black-Yellows until the 1990s. In 1966 they became the first German team to win a European trophy with the UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup, which Bayern then matched the following year.
Dortmund even spent four consecutive years in the second tier during the 70s while Bayern were winning three consecutive European Cups. It was during that decade that the Bavarians recorded their biggest Bundesliga victory ever when they beat BVB 11-1.
BVB have won their four games in the German top-flight, including a 2-0 win at newly-promoted Arminia Bielefeld last time out. Lucien Favre’s team also recorded a 3-0 away win at Club Brugge in midweek round three Champions League games.
The home side has been strong in attack of late scoring at least twice in six of their previous eight games in all competitions. Dortmund also have a strong recent defensive record too, as they have kept clean sheets in six of their previous seven competitive matches.
BVB have won their last three home games in the Bundesliga, scoring at least three times in their last three league games at Signal Iduna Park. At the back, they have also kept three straight clean sheets on home soil in the German top-flight. However, the potential absence of former Bayern Munich centre-back Mats Hummels will not help BVB defensively.
The reigning German champions have made a typically strong start to their campaign at home and abroad. A midweek 6-2 win at Salzburg in the Champions League was Hansi Flick’s ninth straight victory in all competitions. Bayern have also scored at least twice in all nine of the recent victories.
In the Bundesliga, Bayern have won their last four games, scoring at least twice in all of the wins. Incredibly, the visitors have failed to score in just one of their last 41 matches in the German top-flight.
Unsurprisingly, Bayern Munich have a stellar recent away record in the Bundesliga, winning 12 of their last 13 matches on their travels. The Bavarians have also been prolific in front of goal scoring at least twice in ten of their previous 13 matches away from home.
Bayern forward Robert Lewandowski will look to add to his Bundesliga goal tally of ten goals in just five appearances. The former Dortmund star also scored a brace in the midweek Champions League win over Salzburg after being rested last time out in the Bundesliga.
WHO TO WATCH
Lewandowski vs. Haaland
While Lewandowski is in pole position to finish 2020/21 with a record fourth successive Bundesliga top scorer’s cannon he has a genuine contender to his crown in Erling Haaland.
With 10 goals to show for his first five appearances of the new Bundesliga campaign – he was rested on Matchday 6 – Lewandowski is once again the man to beat at the top of the scoring charts.
The Bayern striker was on target in the Matchday 1 rout of Schalke, and has since swelled his tally considerably with respective four- two- and three-goal salvos against Hertha Berlin, Arminia Bielefeld and Eintracht Frankfurt.
His only blank fell in the 4-1 defeat to Hoffenheim on Matchday 2 – a punch-drunk Bayern’s third competitive encounter of a bumper week and one he only joined with 33 minutes remaining.
That rare off day aside, LewanGOALski is currently averaging a league goal every 37 minutes at a rate of two per game. He has reached double figures for the 10th successive season, and is the first player in history to have done so after five rounds of fixtures.
Breaking the 30-goal barrier – as he has done in three of his six full campaigns at Bayern – is expected. Gerd Müller’s 40-strike gold standard is within reach.
Haaland could conceivably achieve both feats, despite being 20 and playing in his first full season of Bundesliga football.
The Norwegian has scored five goals in as many Bundesliga appearances in 2020/21, having set the tone with 13 in 15 top-flight outings during the previous Rückrunde following his December move from Red Bull Salzburg.
He ranks as the first player in Bundesliga history to stick away a debut hat-trick from the bench; reach five goals after two matches; seven after three and nine after five.
Lewandowski was three years older than Haaland when he scored his first Bundesliga multiples, and it wasn’t until his 10th Bundesliga campaign, aged 31, that he broke Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s record for most single-season goals by a non-German national with 34 last term. Twelve years Lewandowski’s junior, it’s another best-mark Haaland may well eclipse sooner rather than later.
Haaland is ahead of the curve, after all, producing 18 goals in 20 Bundesliga outings to date.
Lewandowski had five goals to show for his first 20 German top-flight assignments, and needed another 28 to reach 18, while his 246 total league strikes are the product of 1258 efforts on goal.
Although Haaland boasts the superior hit rate since arriving at BVB – 18 goals from 50 shots – Lewandowski has been the more clinical of the two at the early stage of the new season.
The Poland striker is scoring a goal every 2.8 shots and converting 71.4 percent of his clear-cut chances. Haaland requires roughly three attempts per goal and sinks 66.7 percent of his major opportunities. It’s by a nose, but the bionic Lewandowski has the edge.
*With agency reports
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