MUNICH – Modern football propaganda loves it when we put everything in a convenient box that doesn’t always reflect reality. I guess this makes sense.
However, when covering German games as a commentator, you immediately resist the temptation Bayern Munich versus borussia dortmund What might the advertising moguls tell us to do with the fixture known as der classic,
It doesn’t lend itself to a simplistic “clash of the titans” narrative. Understanding what this conflict is requires nuance and context.
Yes, this is the most high-profile Bundesliga The fixture that the wider world often associates with the league and involving two heavyweight clubs is actually two of the most keenly followed bundesrepublicThe action – as was the case in a pair of thrilling high-scoring draws last season – can be highly entertaining in front of some of the biggest crowds in the world and provides a window into who the best team in Germany currently is.
However, this is not the end all rivalry along the lines of the German rivalry. real Madrid against barcelona, celtic versus ranger people Or Galatasaray against fenerbahceNor should we pretend that it is. Bayern fans do not pay attention to the weekly schadenfreude basis on BVB, and the same is true for A schwarzgelb persuasion regarding recordmeister,
Some would argue that calling it a rivalry is stretching it, although it certainly is one. Spitzenduel (Duel of top teams).
This fixture began to gain prominence in the 1990s with the threat to Bayern from the industrial West under the auspices of Ottmar Hitzfeld, who later took his coaching talents to Munich. At the time, Bayern were not as dominant as they are now and players did not consider Bayern–BVB any better than other matches.
Arguably the greatest era of this feud was during Jurgen Klopp’s time in charge of BVB. dortmund is picking up mistershell Spice and tension were added in 2011 and 2012 and this set the table for the All-German 2013 Champions League The final at Wembley. This time Bayern emerged victorious in the nailbiter.
The fact is that BVB have come up empty-handed in their Bundesliga title quest since 2012, most painfully in 2023, when they failed to play crucial cards in their deck and handed Bayern the winning hand on the final day.
In the last two seasons, der classicWhile still the most watched program OberhausHas played a second role on a competitive basis in Bayern’s meetings with the 2024 champions bayer leverkusen,
In this tenure, there is no doubt that the pecking order has changed again. Bayern, under Vincent Kompany, appears to be in one of its most formidable formulations in many years. This raises the question: can anyone get close to him in the Bundesliga?
The evidence from the first six matchdays is that BVB is probably the only team with a chance to stop Bayern from escaping. They lack the overall quality of Bayern, but in their current form under Niko Kovac there is a solidity and defensive resilience about Dortmund that makes you think they could, on a very good day, end Bayern’s flawless record in all competitions so far this season.
I think there is a common misconception among casual fans that Bayern almost always beats BVB, and certainly in Munich. Indeed, Dortmund’s last two visits have resulted in a 2-0 win and a 2-2 draw, with the pressure of the latter finding themselves a Champions League place despite the odds well deserved.
However, Bayern will be favorites on Saturday. How could it be otherwise considering their 10 consecutive competitive wins to start the season with 38 goals?
The loose ends from Kompany’s first campaign at the helm have been tightened to such an extent that the weakness is difficult to spot. also with Jamal Musiala, alphonso davis And hiroki ito still on the edge, and Thomas Muller No longer part of the equation, Bayern are clearly better than Belgium up and down the pitch when in possession.
it’s natural to be exposed harry kaneWho has 11 goals in six Bundesliga matches so far, is on pace to destroy Robert Lewandowski41-goal single-season record. I have spoken extensively in this area Kane’s versatility increased Adept at passing long distances and moving into Musiala positions to increase the effectiveness of the part in his repertoire.
But it is also worth noting Bayern’s superior team statistics in the running and sprinting department. Rarely does the team with the highest possession percentage lead the field in distance covered, this category is usually reserved for teams designed to play gegen den ball (against the ball).
Dortmund do not play with a particularly high line and it is to be expected that they drycat (back three) will follow a similar strategy at the Allianz Arena, while it is expected that Umschultmomente (transitional moment) count. It plays to the strengths of fast pace Kareem Adeyemi and natural line leader Serhou Guiras,
To me, this encounter doesn’t really need a dull wrestling style introduction. It’s certainly enough to make it about the perfect Bayern and invincible Dortmund, first versus second, collision course and an entertaining football contest.
And in German the word is perfect for the occasion: richtungsweisende (Showing the way forward).
