Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund Clash in Season's First Der Klassiker
Undefeated leaders Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund clash in Saturday's Der Klassiker in Germany. Harry Kane presents his Ballon d'Or at the Allianz Arena as both teams share the summit with 17 points.
Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund are set to clash on Saturday in the first Der Klassiker of the German Bundesliga season, with both teams sharing the top of the table with 17 points from 21 possible and remaining undefeated. Harry Kane will present his Ballon d'Or to the home fans at the Allianz Arena, having become the first Bundesliga representative to win the prestigious award since 1996. Kane and the league's most potent attack will face Dortmund's formidable defense, which has conceded just four goals so far this season. Historically, Bayern has dominated the fixture, losing only once in their last 17 meetings across all competitions, alongside 13 wins and three draws, though that sole defeat was a 2-0 home loss in March 2024. Bayern will miss Luis Diaz and head coach Vincent Kompany, while Dortmund travels without Ramy Bensebaini and Konstantinos Karetsas.
Looking ahead to the high-stakes encounter, Dortmund coach Niko Kovac shared his perspective with the press: "After a very long time, we have the opportunity to travel to Munich and play a match where we are level on points. This certainly makes everything much more interesting, but no less difficult. Bayern Munich is the benchmark, not only in Germany but also in Europe. We need to present our highest level. The bar is high, but of course, we have the ambition to leave there with something. We are Borussia Dortmund, we have our own standards and we want to live up to them."
In other Bundesliga action, Bayer Leverkusen will host Stuttgart on Saturday as the fourth-placed side looks to avenge heavy defeats from last season, including a 4-1 thrashing at the BayArena and a 3-1 away loss. Stuttgart has struggled to balance European commitments with domestic league play, sitting near the relegation zone with six points despite a strong Champions League campaign. Angelo Stiller remains doubtful for Stuttgart, while Moussa Diayer has joined Leverkusen's extensive injury list.
