04 April,2015 01:23 AM IST | | AFP
Injury-hit Bayern Munich head to resurgent Borussia Dortmund short of their top stars and with the hosts out to prove there is still life in Germany's 'Der Klassiker'
Borussia Dortmund coach Juergen Klopp
Munich: Injury-hit Bayern Munich head to resurgent Borussia Dortmund short of their top stars and with the hosts out to prove there is still life in Germany's 'Der Klassiker'
Borussia Dortmund coach Juergen Klopp
The Bundesliga has been won twice each by Dortmund and Bayern over the last four years and the media here has dubbed their meetings 'Der Klassiker' - Germany's answer to Spain's 'El Clasico' between Barcelona and Real Madrid.
But a glance at the Bundesliga table highlights Dortmund's dramatic fall from grace this season with Jurgen Klopp's side currently tenth having started February bottom of the table after a disastrous run of results.
In contrast, Bayern are ten points clear in the league table and heading towards a third straight league title. But Pep Guardiola's Bavarians will be missing injured key stars Arjen Robben, David Alaba and Franck Ribery at the Signal Iduna Park.
Defender Holger Badstuber is struggling with a hip injury, but veteran striker Claudio Pizarro is set to return from a leg injury. Bayern lost for the third time this season last time out going down 0-2 in Munich to Borussia Moenchengladbach, a fortnight ago.
With Dortmund winger Marco Reus in superb form for both club and country alongside top-scorer Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, the hosts have the attack to cause Bayern problems. "We have generally never given up on a home game in advance," said Klopp, who will be without Germany squad members Kevin Grosskreutz and Erik Durm.
"I would suggest we don't talk much and instead try to put in a good performance. We're not at the same level as Bayern and, unless I am mistaken, we never have been, but we have never considered ourselves to have no chance and that also goes for now."
