BERLIN, May 25, 2020 (BSS/AFP) – Bayern Munich aim to continue the
Bundesliga’s current trend of teams winning on the road behind closed doors
when they face Borussia Dortmund in a potential title decider on Tuesday.
Leaders Bayern arrive at second-placed Dortmund four points clear and on
course for an eighth straight title.
“For us this is a very decisive week,” insisted Bayern forward Thomas
Mueller.
“We’ve clearly set ourselves the goal of three victories this week and
taking a giant step forward” towards the league title.
Bayern warmed-up by beating Eintracht Frankfurt 5-2 at the weekend and also
host relegation-threatened Fortuna Duesseldorf this Saturday.
Since the Bundesliga resumed ten days ago, behind locked doors due to the
coronavirus, home advantage has counted for little with 10 of the 18 games
played won by the away team.
Bayern and Dortmund are among only three clubs — the other being Hertha
Berlin who thrashed neighbours FC Union 4-0 on Friday — to have won at home
since the restart.
Hansi Flick’s Bayern are eager to continue the trend and again assert their
dominance over Dortmund, who they routed 4-0 in Munich last November.
“We’re looking forward to Tuesday – I hope that we can show what makes us
strong and leave Dortmund’s stadium with a smile,” added Mueller.
Signal Iduna Park would normally be packed with 82,000 fans for a visit of
Bayern, but the terraces will remain empty on Tuesday.
“It will still be a hard day’s work,” Mueller added.
“We’re marching, Dortmund is marching.”
Dortmund winger Raphael Guerreiro is in form with three goals in his last
two games and was on the scoresheet in Saturday’s 2-0 win at Wolfsburg.
The Portugal star also netted twice in the 4-0 rout of arch rivals Schalke
the previous weekend in the Ruhr derby.
Dortmund are waiting on the fitness of key defender Mats Hummels, who
injured his Achilles’ tendon at Wolfsburg.
In the Bayern camp, midfielder Thiago Alcantara has a groin strain while
centre-back Jerome Boateng picked up a leg knock on Saturday.
Having beaten Bayern 2-0 at home in the pre-season Super Cup match last
August and 3-2 in the league in November 2018, Dortmund are eager to again
send the Bavarians home disappointed.
“I hope we can get the next victory,” said Dortmund’s Swiss centre-back
Manuel Akanji.
“Since I’ve been here, we’ve always lost to Bayern away, but won at home. I
want to keep this series going.”
Tuesday’s showdown will also pit the league’s top-scorer Robert
Lewandowski, 31, who has scored 27 goals in 25 games for Bayern, against his
former club.
For the hosts, Norwegian sensation Erling Braut Haaland, 19, has scored ten
goals in as many league games since joining Dortmund in January from Salzburg.
Haaland and Lewandowski have exactly the same record – 41 goals from 35
games in all competitions this season.
England winger Jadon Sancho came off the bench to set up Achrif Hakimi for
the second goal in Wolfsburg.
Dortmund coach Lucien Favre has hinted the 20-year-old could start against
Bayern.
On Wednesday, third-placed RB Leipzig host Hertha Berlin in the day’s key
game.
Germany striker Timo Werner warmed up with a hat-trick in Sunday’s 5-0
thumping of Mainz.
He had also scored a hat-trick in an 8-0 mauling of Mainz last November.
Fixtures
Tuesday
Borussia Dortmund v Bayern M?nchen (1630 GMT), Bayer Leverkusen v VfL
Wolfsburg, Eintracht Frankfurt v Freiburg, Werder Bremen v Bor.
Moenchengladbach (1830 GMT)
Wednesday
RB Leipzig v Hertha Berlin (1630 GMT), Hoffenheim v Cologne, Fortuna
Duesseldorf v Schalke 04, Augsburg v Paderborn, Union Berlin v Mainz 05 (1830
GMT)