The table stakes are different for Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund as two of the world’s fiercest rivals tangle at the Allianz Arena and Der Klassiker takes center stage in the Bundesliga on Saturday.
The game is awaiting an opening goal, but Bayern look the more likely to get it.
How to watch Bayern Munich vs Borussia Dortmund live, stream link and start time
Kick off time: 12:30pm ET Saturday
Venue: Allianz Arena — Munich
TV Channel/Streaming: ESPN+
Bayern Munich vs Borussia Dortmund live score: 0-0
Bayern Munich vs Borussia Dortmund live updates
Halftime — Bayern Munich 0-0 Borussia Dortmund
All square here, though not for plenty of effort from the hosts.
Bayern take 13 of the half’s 17 shots but cannot find the goal.
Dortmund goalkeeper Gregor Kobel has three saves and may be prodding his mates to ask Bayern backup Jonas Urbig, all 21 years of him, to be asked to make a save.
First half-hour favoring the Bavarians
Possession isn’t lopsided but the shot attempts are very much so, as Bayern have pumped eight shots toward Dortmund’s goal and have produced 0.55 xG to the 0.03 coming from BVB’s lone attempt.
Bayern Munich lineup
Urbig, Laimer, Dier, Kim, Stanisic, Kimmich, Goretzka, Muller, Olise, Sane, Kane
Borussia Dortmund lineup
Kobel, Can, Sule, Anton, Ryerson, Ozcan, Gross, Svensson, Beier, Brandt, Guirassy
Bayern Munich vs Borussia Dortmund, Der Klassiker preview
Bayern Munich are well set to win the league, but mid-table Dortmund can give their Champions League hopes a shot in the arm while perhaps helping Bayer Leverkusen’s flagging title hopes.
Bayern staged a tense UEFA Champions League quarterfinal first leg at home to Inter Milan at midweek, falling 2-1 before an all-important second leg in Italy on Wednesday. They’ll have to quickly rebound, and there’s no chance the vibes won’t be there in this monumental world rivalry.
Dortmund’s 2024-25 season has been up-and-down, again, and it looks like there will be no Champions League dream run to sugarcoat a second-straight disappointing league campaign. BVB fell 4-0 to Barcelona in their UCL quarterfinal first leg.
Former Bayern boss NIko Kovac is at the wheel now and has a chance to give his Dortmund career a huge kick while also giving his side their first three-match winning streak of the season. Dortmund’s 41 points are seven back of the top four and a season outside Europe remains possible if they don’t finish strong. No better chance than this.
Bayern Munich team news, focus
OUT: Alexksandar Pavlovic (illness), Kingsley Coman (ankle), Manuel Neuer (calf), Alphonso Davies (ACL), Dayot Upamecano (unspecified), Hiroki Ito (undisclosed), Tarek Buchmann (shoulder), Jamal Musiala (hamstring).
Borussia Dortmund team news, focus
OUT: Marcel Sabitzer (MCL), Nico Schlotterbeck (meniscus), Filippo Mane (muscular) | QUESTIONABLE: Cole Campbell (knock)
Bayern Munich vs Borussia Dortmund prediction
A split. The urgency is more there for Dortmund, as they’re licking their wounds more than a Bayern side still in their Champions League tie. Bayern boss Vincent Kompany has that much more to consider in terms of player usage, and that — along with a long injury list — maybe tips the scales late. Bayern Munich 2-2 Borussia Dortmund.
