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Borussia Dortmund vs. Bayern Munich: probable line-ups, match stats and LIVE blog!

bundesliga.com, 2 December 2021, 22:00
Erling Haaland is in contention to start when second-placed Borussia Dortmund welcome Bundesliga leaders Bayern Munich and former striker Robert Lewandowski back to the Signal Iduna Park in Der Klassiker on Saturday (kick-off: 6.30pm CET).
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Haaland could not have timed his return to first-team action much better. A week ahead of the first Bundesliga Klassiker of the season, the 21-year-old stepped off the bench following a seven-game absence to put the seal on Dortmund's 3-1 win at Wolfsburg. It marked his 50th Bundesliga goal in as many appearances - and 10th in just seven matches this season. A first start since 16 October is now a distinct possibility. Head coach Marco Rose could also welcome back Raphael Guerreiro at left-back. The Portugal international is training again after missing BVB's last two competitive fixtures through injury, but midfielder Jude Bellingham is a doubt with the knee problem that kept him out against Wolfsburg. Axel Witsel, a late substitute in that game, Emre Can and Mahmoud Dahoud are proven alternatives in the Bellingham role. Question-marks remain over Thorgan Hazard's involvement, but US international Gio Reyna is definitely out, having only returned to training this past week following injury.

Dortmund's come-from-behind triumph in Wolfsburg bumped Bayern down to second place for a couple of hours. The record champions answered the question with a slender victory over Arminia Bielefeld, though, to restore their one-point advantage with 13 fixtures played. Leroy Sane was the matchwinner on a day when Lewandowski failed to fire for only the third time this Bundesliga season. The Bayern No.9 nevertheless returns to his former stomping ground as the division's 14-goal top scorer, and fresh from being named the inaugural Striker of the Year at the 2021 Ballon d'Or ceremony, whilst finishing a debatable second to Lionel Messi in the main prize draw. Kingsley Coman is expected to keep Serge Gnabry on the bench, but head coach Julian Nagelsmann is still without influential midfielder Joshua Kimmich. Corentin Tolisso got the nod against Bielefeld, though the Bayern boss is rumoured to have been experimenting with 18-year-old Jamal Musiala in the No.6 role.

Match stats

Haaland is averaging a goal every 56 minutes in this season's Bundesliga. He's scored times five in as many meetings with Bayern in all competitions.

Marco Reus has scored or assisted in nine of his 12 Bundesliga appearances in 2020/21, and in eight of his last nine.

The Dortmund captain was on target the last time BVB beat Bayern in the Bundesliga (3-2 on Matchday 11 of the 2018/19 campaign).

Bayern have since won five Bundesliga Klassikers in a row, and have only lost two of the last 10. Overall, they lead with 51 Bundesliga wins to BVB's 26.

Lewandowski is the top scorer in the fixture with 25 goals. Twenty of those have fallen across 14 league meetings with former club Dortmund, including 16 in his last 10.

Nagelsmann has won just two of 13 matches against Dortmund as a head coach, drawing four and losing seven.

Probable line-ups

Dortmund: Kobel - Meunier, Akanji, Hummels, Guerreiro - Can, Witsel, Dahoud - Brandt, Haaland, Reus (c)

Out: Morey (knee), Moukoko (muscular), Reyna (match fitness), Schmelzer (knee), Unbehaun (hand)

Doubtful: Bellingham (knee), Bürki (illness), Hazard (not included)

Coach: Marco Rose

Bayern: Neuer (c) - Pavard, Upamecano, Hernandez, Davies - Tolisso, Goretzka - Coman, Müller, Sane - Lewandowski

Out: Choupo-Moting (not included), Kimmich (not included), Sabitzer (calf), Sarr (groin), Stanisic (thigh)

Doubtful: Cuisance (knock), Nianzou (shoulder), Ulreich (back)

Coach: Julian Nagelsmann

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