Bundesliga preview: Heavyweights clash in marquee match

17 November 2011 19:19

Leaders Bayern Munich host champions Borussia Dortmund on Saturday in the biggest match yet of the Bundesliga season.

Juergen Klopp guided Dortmund to their first league title since 2002 last term, with the team from the Ruhr valley finishing 10 points clear of Bayern.

It was a disappointing campaign for the Bavarian heavyweights, and one that cost Luis van Gaal his job as coach.

Jupp Heynckes was tempted from Bayer Leverkusen to fill the void at the Allianz Arena.

Now in his third spell in charge, the 66-year-old has led Bayern to an impressive start to the new campaign.

They have won nine out of 12 matches in the league, and sit five points clear of second-placed Dortmund.

Klopp's men, who lost Nuri Sahin to Real Madrid in the close season, made a slow start to their title defence, winning just three of their first eight outings in all competitions.

But they have steadily climbed to second spot, and victory at the Allianz Arena would see them move closer to regaining the lofty position they became accustomed in 2010/11.

Dortmund won the corresponding fixture 3-1 last season, in their first away victory over Bayern since 1991.

Bayern come into Saturday's match seeking to avenge that rare loss, and hoping to preserve or extend their early league lead.

But they will be without Bastian Schweinsteiger for the key clash, with the influential midfielder out for at least five weeks with a broken collarbone.

The heavyweight showdown in Munich is not the clash of note on Saturday, as third-placed Werder Bremen also in action against Borussia Moenchengladbach, who are fourth.

In the day's other matches, second-bottom Freiburg are at home to Hertha Berlin and fifth-placed Schalke host Nuremberg, who are one spot outside the relegation zone in 15th.

Hannover are away to Wolfsburg, and Cologne await the visit of Mainz.

On Sunday, Augsburg face a tough ask adding to their solitary victory this season, with the promoted side in action away to Stuttgart.

And third-bottom Hamburg are at home to Hoffenheim.

The opening match of the round on Friday sees Leverkusen travel to Kaiserslautern.