Borussia Dortmund will host Bayern Munich on upcoming Saturday
23 November, 2013 for the top game of the 13th Bundesliga matchday. The meeting between
Dortmund and Bayern will be the rematch of last season's Champions
League Final. Both coaches will miss some key players like Hummels,
Subotic and Schmelzer or Schweinsteiger and Ribery.
Borussia Dortmund team plays perfectly this season but only at home where they won
all six matches, with an average of over three scored goals per match.
Away is less convincing and that is why Borussia has four points less
than the Bavarians. In the last round they were defeated for the second
time despite that they took a lead in Wolfsburg. It was their second
consecutive lost match, which Borussia didn’t experience for a long
time. They lost to Arsenal in Dortmund in the Champions League, which
ruined the London’s victory and made the placement in the eight-finals
questionable.
Additionally, injury related problems have
accumulated at the worst possible moment. Both stoppers, Hummels and
Subotic are out of action, as well as the left midfielders Schmelzer,
while from before there is no right midfielder Piszczek, so Klopp has to
change the entire defence line. He will improvise with Blaszczykowski
on the right and Groskreutz on the left flank, while experienced
Friedrich will join Sokratis at stoppers’ positions. The attack will be
not changed and the best players will play.
- Probable lineups Borussia Dortmund (4-2-3-1): Weidenfeller; Grosskreutz, Friedrich, Durm, Sokratis; Bender, Sahin; Blaszczykowski, Mkhitaryan, Reus; Lewandowski.
Bayern München welcomes this match with a much calmer mind, firstly because
they don’t have problems in the Champions League where they have already
secured the next round, and secondly they are the leaders in the
standings and have four points advantage, which is psychologically very
important for matches like this one is. Additionally, Bayern continues
to set new records and they are the now record holders in successive
matches without defeat in the Bundesliga. The only defeat this season in
all competitions is the one from the Super Cup, that took place right
in Dortmund and it can be an additional motive. There are in a series of
six wins in all competitions, although are not so convincing when they
play away.
Bayern too has problems with injuries and they pay the
bill for national teams gathering, so they are without their best player
Ribery. This opens the path for former Borussia’s player Gotze who will
replace him, while Lahm could return on the right flank, and Tell
Martinez will be the defensive midfielder given that there is no
Schweinsteiger.
- Probable lineups Bayern Munich (4-1-4-1): Neuer; Lahm, Boateng, Dante, Alaba; Martinez; Gotze, Kroos, Muller, Robben; Mandzukic.
Match Details and Timings:
Borussia Dortmund vs Bayern Munich
Football: Bundesliga, 13th matchday
Date: Saturday, November 23, 2013 - 18:30 CET - 6:30 PM - 5:30 PM GMT
Stadium: Signal Iduna Park, Dortmund, Germany
Referee: Manuel Gräfe
Football: Bundesliga, 13th matchday
Date: Saturday, November 23, 2013 - 18:30 CET - 6:30 PM - 5:30 PM GMT
Stadium: Signal Iduna Park, Dortmund, Germany
Referee: Manuel Gräfe
