The Der Klassiker has been, for years, the most anticipated football match in German football. While the Bundesliga does not feature any prominent inter-city derbies, this fixture between Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund is no less than a derby when it comes to intensity.
Bayern Munich, as expected, are leading the Bundesliga table but are level on points with Hoffenheim. Borussia Dortmund have been faltering regularly because of their leaky defence and Last season’s runners-up in the Bundesliga are languishing in the 5th position, 6 points behind title favourites, Bayern. They have also conceded 12 goals, the most goals conceded amongst the top 7 so far.
With world class talents on display in nearly every position, the game will be won or lost because of the slightest error. Here we look at some of the key individual battles of the match:
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang vs Mats Hummels
Blessed with incredible pace, Aubameyang has been a different player altogether under Tuchel. He scored 39 goals last season, 25 of them coming in the league and has started off from where he finished last season, having scored 11 goals in the league this season already.
That’s only 3 goals less than the rest of the team combined! The Borussia Dortmund side are the highest scoring side in the Bundesliga with 25 goals in 10 matches and Aubameyang is the biggest contributor to this lethal attack. He has scored or assisted 48% of the Borussia Dortmund goals so far.
He will be facing his former BVB teammate, Mats Hummels in the Bayern Munich defence. Hummels will have a tough time trying to adjust to the fact that the Yellow Wall will be screaming at him with anger instead of chanting his name like they did over the years. The former Borussia Dortmund captain will be facing his biggest test yet as a Bayern Munich defender.
Hummels is one of the slower defenders around, meaning Aubameyang can have a free run against him on a bad day. However, what he lacks in pace, he covers up in defensive intelligence and is one of the hardest defenders to beat.
The German international has made 53 ball recoveries so far, and 28 interceptions. One of his biggest strengths is his aerial ability, and he has won 34 headed duels with a 76% success. Hummels may not be able to recover if Aubameyang runs past him, but getting past him would be a monumental task for Aubameyang, who has only completed 6 dribbles so far.
However, this battle goes both ways. Hummels himself has created 3 chances and pings long balls towards attackers with ease, often splitting the defence almost majestically. Against a high pressing team like Borussia Dortmund, his ability to bypass the midfield will come in handy.
Aubameyang’s relentless pressing will be very helpful against this hazard. Hummels often leaves his position to find some space to attack the midfield and find the perfect delivery to the attackers. Aubameyang’s pace and intelligence will surely make him wary of leaving behind open spaces.
Thiago Alcantara vs Julian Weigl
Thiago has been in tremendous form and finally, it seems, has shrugged off his injuries. The Spanish international has been working hard as ever on the pitch, with 34 interceptions this season, with an average of almost 4 every match. He has also created 13 chances by himself, with brilliant through balls and short passes.
However, his biggest strength is his ability to control the flow of the match. With 91% passing accuracy, he makes sure the team does not lose possession needlessly. He has completely 750 passes so far, which is one of the highest in the league. With 63 successful long balls, an average of 7 every match, he changes the direction of the attack at will. He is known for his prodigious ability to successfully change the focus of attack during the attacking transition.
Dortmund’s young German midfielder Julian Weigl has time and again shown to be capable of playing in such big matches at such a young age. With 91% passing accuracy, he also rarely loses possession of the ball.
Despite his thin frame, he isn’t easily dispossessed by force or strength thanks to his immense defensive intelligence. He has completed 677 passes with an average passing length of 18m. He has already been BVB’s Man of the Match 4 times this season despite the potent attack that BVB boast of. With 27 defensive actions so far, it would be difficult for Bayern to get past him.
Robert Lewandowski vs Roman Burki
Robert Lewandowski has continued to be recognised as one of the best strikers in the world with 7 goals already this season in 10 matches. With a shot accuracy of 44%, the big Pole hardly ever misses his target. He has got 16 shots on target so far and a total of 45 shots; Lewandowski boasts of most attempts at the goal. With the world record 5 goals in 9 minutes against Wolfsburg last season, Lewandowski has secured his name in the history books.
Roman Burki is no stranger to shots being aimed at his goal, having been forced to make 3 saves per game this season. With a faltering defence line, Burki has been a shining star for Dortmund and has saved 3 goals per every goal conceded. He also has a 100% claim success and 100% punching success, an important trait against a tall striker like Lewandowski. With the Bayern team having scored 24 goals this season, Burki will have to be at his best to make sure BVB don’t concede.
This battle could end up being the most important individual battle of all with the winner deciding who wins the German Clasico.|
