Bundesliga: Dortmund vs Schalke in the Revierderby
One of the most anticipated fixtures in any Bundesliga season is back. Enjoy DW’s buildup to this historic match as we count down to our live coverage. Kickoff is 1830 local time on Saturday, October 24.
Emre Can tests positive
Late on Friday afternoon, Borussia Dortmund revealed that midfielder Emre Can has tested positive for the coronavirus. The game against Schalke is still expected to take place, though.
Minimum numbers
With COVID-19 cases across Germany sky-rocketing, the restrictions on fans inside stadiums means only 300 Dortmund fans will be able to view the action.
But the fact that 35,000 members applied for those tickets shows just how much this match means to the region even in the middle of a pandemic.
Form
Schalke remain in crisis mode. A 1-1 draw against Union Berlin showed little signs that they’re any closer to breaking what is now a 20-game winless streak. New coach Manuel Baum has a monumental job on his hands.
After a hard-fought victory against Hoffenheim, Dortmund collapsed 3-1 against Lazio in the Champions League.
While form and circumstance are usually of no importance where the Revierderby is concerned, both teams face crucial junctures in their season. Victory, or failure, in a derby can have significant knock-on effects.
What they said
Dortmund sporting director Michael Zorc was less than impressed following the Lazio loss.
“We followed the rules of social distancing in an exemplary manner,” he quipped.
The 58-year-old wants to see a completely different Dortmund turn up against Schalke.
“We want to see a reaction,” he said. “Schalke will have a lot of passion, discipline and commitment – they will want to ruin our game.”
Whether Schalke can pull it off is the big question. Their ultras confronted the team after last weekend’s draw against Union Berlin, delivering a clear message.
“You can lose [the derby], but it depends on the manner. If it’s not at least as good as today, we’ll see each other again and it won’t be as peaceful.”
History
This will be the 97th Revierderby, with Dortmund shaving the wins 34 to 32. The last meeting was in May, the first game of the restart, where Dortmund hammered Schalke 4-0.
Thankfully for Schalke, their form usually matters little when it comes to the derby. They’ve been known to produce some big performances against their rivals, especially in recent years.
A 4-2 victory at the end of the 2018-19 season effectively scuppered Dortmund’s titles chances, while in November 2017 they famously came back from 4-0 down to draw 4-4 at home.
This fixture has to be one of the most unpredictable in the Bundesliga.
Spotlight: Lucien Favre
Two failed title challenges and a stop-start begin to his third season at Dortmund, means Lucien Favre’s credentials are once again, unfortunately inevitably, under question.
This will be his 300th match in the Bundesliga and he’s chasing his 150th win. Following Dortmund’s limp performance midweek in the Champions League, as well as a disappointing 2-0 loss to Augsburg on Matchday 2, Favre needs a boost.
A loss in the derby would make his standing among skeptical fans even shakier.
Fun facts
Mats Hummels hasn’t lost against Schalke in 11 matches, although more than half of those were in the colors of Bayern Munich. He’ll likely wear the captain’s armband in the case that Marco Reus doesn’t make the starting lineup.
Benjamin Stambouli has never been on the losing side of a Revierderby. In six matches he’s won two and drawn four. He was on the bench against Union. Perhaps Baum should reinstall Schalke’s lucky charm back into the first eleven.
Possible lineups
Dortmund XI: Bürki – Piszczek, Hummels, Akanji – Meunier, Bellingham, Witsel, Guerreiro – Sancho, Reyna – Haaland
Schalke XI: Rönnow – Ludewig, Sane, Nastasic, Oczipka – Mascarell, Bentaleb – Skrzybski, Uth, Raman – Paciencia
Article source: https://www.dw.com/en/bundesliga-dortmund-vs-schalke-in-the-revierderby-live-buildup/a-55377648?maca=en-rss-en-sports-1027-xml-atom