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Der Klassiker returns this Sunday as Borussia Dortmund travel to the Allianz area to take on Bayern Munich. Undoubtedly the most awaited fixture of any Bundesliga calendar, the two German giants go head to head again, and the match will be crucial in the title run in.Recent years have seen the two teams battle it out for Bundesliga supremacy, but while Dortmund succumbed to their worst season in recent times in a year that ended with them finishing 7th, and their inspirational coach Jurgen Klopp leaving after 7 years in charge, Bayern continued their dominance at the top of German football.Times have changed since a few months ago though, and a resurgent Dortmund side, under Thomas Tuchel, have plundered 21 goals in their 7 league games this season, while Pep Guardiola has moulded an already impressive Bayern side into one that is arguably the most complete team in Europe, winning all of their 7 league games, scoring 23 times and conceding just thrice.Both teams remain unbeaten this season, and the last six times these sides have met, has never ended in a draw, with both teams winning thrice each. Die Roten have won the last two league meetings between these two sides, but who will emerge victors this time around?With Die Schwarzgelben set to battle it out for 3 points at the Allianz Area, we take a look at the best combined XI with players from both teams.It must be noted that this composite XI is based on current form and players currently sidelined through injury or suspension were unavailable for selection.
#1 Goalkeeper
There really is only one choice here. Manuel Neuer is probably the best goalkeeper in the world right now. Burki has been a revelation for Dortmund, with Tuchel opting to play him ahead of the experienced Weidenfeller, but Neuer clearly wins this.
Having kept 20 clean sheets in the league last season, Neuer has conceded just thrice in the league in 7 games this season, in addition to having kept clean sheets in all of Bayern’s Champions League matches.
Guardiola’s style of play necessitates that Bayern’s defenders be able to charge forward at a moment’s notice to provide an effective contribution to attack – as often evidenced by Boateng. As a result, with that gap that the CB leaves when charging forward, the defensive midfielders and even the goalkeeper, also effectively function as part of Bayern’s defensive unit, as they need to be able to drop back to occasionally function even as a central defender themselves if need be.
This is precisely where Neuer’s unique sweeper-keeper style of play is crucial to Bayern’s system.
Guardiola is a master tactician, and his methods make the best use of his resources, and Neuer’s playing style and success at it is no accident. To a team that is highly susceptible to counter-attacks, Neuer's sweeping abilities becomes a necessity.
Yes, it’s a major risk, and Neuer has proven he has the guts to take it, and to his credit he is yet to be caught out properly in a Bayern shirt.
#2 Defence
Partly due to the embarrassing amount of choice that both teams boast in both midfield and attack, we choose a 3 man defence.
Phillip Lahm leads the back line, as he has done brilliantly for the past decade both for Bayern and for Germany. You’d be hard-pressed to find someone with as much tactical intelligence, and defensive solidity, coupled with an ability to play in a variety of roles. To sustain that level of consistency over such a long period is a testament to Lahm’s legacy as a defender. This season as well, Lahm has been no different, averaging 90% passing accuracy and winning 54% of his duels in the Bundesliga this season. This team would be incomplete without him.
Jerome Boateng gets the nod ahead of candidates like Nevan Subotic, David Alaba and Bernat, in particular due to his sound understanding with Hummels in the german national set-up as well as ability to bomb forward and contribute to the attack, and yet maintain defensive cover. Boateng has been a crucial part of the Bayern team that has conceded just 3 goals this season.
Teaming up with him at the heart of the defence is his opposite number, Mats Hummels. The Dortmund captain has been impenetrable at the back for Die Schwarzgelben, averaging 6 defensive actions in each game and winning an astounding 67% of duels this season.
#3 Midfield
This would be the hardest to choose because both teams have midfielders who essentially perform as units, making it difficult to pick out individuals. The fact that most of these players have had a stellar season so far makes the task even harder. It’s difficult to justify leaving out players like Shinji Kagawa, Mario Goetze, Thiago Alcantara, Xabi Alonso and Kingsley Coman who have all been crucial to their sides, but we go for a 5 man midfield, with a double pivot in the centre with three players ahead of them.
Arturo Vidal has fit right into the heart of Bayern’s midfield following his summer transfer from Juventus and is probably the best box-to-box midfielder in the world at the moment. He brings a certain physicality to the centre of the park, that coupled with his tactical sense ensures that any fires are put out long before they start. His expansive passing ability also ensures that he is also heavily involved in creating, as well and finishing off attacking moves.
He is supported in the centre by the resurgent Ilkay Gundogan who has exorcised his demons from last year, that saw his poor form and injuries limit him to just 26 games. Gundogan has been the underrated, yet absolutely crucial element of Dortmund’s midfield and he makes the cut ahead of Shinji Kagawa and Thiago Alcantara by virtue of his ability to provide defensive cover, as we’ve employed a 3 man defence. Kagawa and Thiago have been phenomenal in their own right, but their propensity to not track back, would leave a diminished defence seriously vulnerable.
In attack, on the left flank is Douglas Costa whose breathtaking performances in Bavaria has turned heads all across Europe. His explosive pace is a threat to any defence in the world and his ability to set up his teammates has seen him rack up 6 assists and two goals for Bayern already this season. His impact has been immense, and while he might find himself sidelined soon with the impending return of Arjen Robben, Ribery will have his work cut out to replace the precocious Brazillian.
Arjen Robben might not be fit by the time of Sunday’s clash, which sees Thomas Muller slot in on the right side of the midfield on the back of his sheer ability to push the team towards victory even when things don't seem to be going their way. Functional, reliable and consistent. These three words perfectly describe Muller, whose phenomenal work rate has seen him rack up 8 goals in addition to setting up another for Die Roten this season. In fact, if it weren't for Muller’s heroics, Bayern would not be sitting pretty at the top, with his goals often proving the difference.
Marco Reus is one person that could probably walk into any team in the world at the moment, and his ability to play anywhere across the front line is an added bonus. Here we employ him in the number 10 role, in the hole behind the two strikers. Reus has been simply unplayable at times for Dortmund this season, and despite missing a couple of matches due to injury, he has already scored 6 goals this season. The Dortmund Attacking quadrant of Kagawa, Reus, Aubameyang and Mkhitaryan have been the key contributors behind the 21 goals that Dortmund have plundered in the league this season.
#4 Attack
On current form, Robert Lewandowski is the best striker in the world at the moment. Period. The Polish striker has netted 10 times in his last three games, including a record-breaking 5 goals in the span of 9 minutes to demolish Wolfsburg. Overall he has scored 14 goals in just 9 games for the Bavarians this season. A visit from his old team-mates will certainly be a sterner test for him, and the away fans will certainly be looking to get to his head every time he touches the ball, but Lewandowski is one who will certainly be looking to add to his incredible tally, and even harbour dreams of the European Golden Boot maybe?
Pierre-Emerick-Aubameyang has been on stellar form this season. Although overshadowed by the exploits of his former Dortmund team-mate, Aubameyang has created history, becoming the first person to score in each of the first 7 games of the Bundesliga, scoring 9 times in the league, to take his total tally to 13 goals, in addition to setting up 3 more for the Black and Yellows. He is fast. Very very fast. Defenders struggle to perceive his runs, and when they do, they seldom catch up.
His understanding with Reus, Mkhitaryan and Kagawa in particular, is remarkable. This trip to the Allianz Arena will be the ultimate venue to prove that he has well and truly filled the void left by his opposite number at the Westfalenstadion.
Formation: 3-5-2
Substitutes: Alaba, Subotic, Coman, Goetze, Kagawa, Mkhitaryan, Alonso
