Sports Mole previews Saturday’s Bundesliga clash between Borussia Dortmund and RB Leipzig, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.
Nuri Sahin‘s side are in desperate need of a win, but they face a difficult task on Saturday given they welcome RB Leipzig to Signal Iduna Park in their ninth Bundesliga match of the season.
BVB are in seventh place with 13 points after eight matchweeks and lost 2-1 against Augsburg in the league on October 26, while Die Roten Bullen are second with 20 points and are only behind leaders Bayern Munich due to goal difference.
Match preview
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Dortmund were dumped out of the DFB-Pokal on Tuesday in the second round when they lost 1-0 against Wolfsburg, and while they produced 18 shots during that game, they still faced 16 shots themselves.
The defeat against Wolfsburg was their third consecutive loss in all competitions, including a humiliating 5-2 thrashing at the hands of Real Madrid on October 22 and a 2-1 defeat against Augsburg in their most recent league match last weekend.
Despite accumulating 76% possession against Augsburg, Saturday’s hosts created just one big chance and less than one xG.
Dortmund sporting director Sebastian Kehl insisted that Sahin’s position as manager was safe, and was instead defiant in the wake of criticism of the BVB boss, suggesting that it is the responsibility of everyone at the club to make things right.
Sahin’s side have scored 15 goals and conceded 14 times in the Bundesliga this season, and these figures make them the division’s joint fifth best offensive and 10th best defensive team.
To their credit, Dortmund boast a phenomenal home record given they have won their last eight matches at Signal Iduna Park, and have scored 19 goals in their five home games this term.
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Opponents RB Leipzig are one of only two unbeaten teams left in Germany’s top flight, though they have lost all three of their Champions League matches in 2024-25.
Marco Rose‘s side progressed to the third round of the DFB-Pokal after beating St Pauli 4-2 on Tuesday, with Yussuf Poulsen scoring twice in the first half to help give his team a 3-1 lead by the interval.
Rose’s team also beat Freiburg 3-1 on October 26 in their most recent league match, and though they conceded first after just 15 minutes, Die Roten Bullen scored three second-half goals to claim all three points.
The Leipzig boss was delighted with his players, hailing their performance against Freiburg as incredible, and he even went as far as to say that they made him proud as a coach.
Leipzig come into the clash having won four of their five most recent games, and having impressively won 13, drawn six and lost none of their last 19 league matches.
The visitors have also proven difficult to beat away from home considering they have won seven and drawn three of their last 10 Bundesliga fixtures on the road.
Borussia Dortmund form (all competitions):
RB Leipzig Bundesliga form:
RB Leipzig form (all competitions):
Team News
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Sahin is dealing with numerous absentees, including Almugera Kabar, who is suspended, as well as defender Niklas Sule.
Waldemar Anton has a chance of making the squad on Saturday, but Jan Couto, Giovanni Reyna and Julian Ryerson are likely to miss out.
Felix Nmecha and Gregor Kobel both picked up knocks against Wolfsburg and may miss out, so perhaps Alexander Meyer may feature in goal, while Marcel Sabitzer and Pascal Gross could form a partnership in a double pivot.
Forwards Julien Duranville and Karim Adeyemi will also be absent, so expect Dortmund to field Donyell Malen, Julian Brandt and Jamie Bynoe-Gittens behind striker Serhou Guirassy.
RB Leipzig will be without left-back David Raum until the middle of December 2024, as well as Xaver Schlager, who is unlikely to make a comeback from injury until early January 2025.
Attacker Xavi Simons and midfielder Nicolas Seiwald are also ruled out, while Forzan Assan Ouedraogo is likely to miss the next few days at most.
Rose could name a backline consisting of Lutsharel Geertruida, Willi Orban, Castello Lukeba and Benjamin Henrichs, who may be protected by a double pivot of Amadou Haidara and Kevin Kampl.
Borussia Dortmund possible starting lineup:
Meyer; Can, Anton, Schlotterbeck, Bensebaini; Sabitzer, Gross; Malen, Brandt, Gittens; Guirassy
RB Leipzig possible starting lineup:
Gulacsi; Geertruida, Orban, Lukeba, Henrichs; Baumgartner, Haidara, Kampl, Nusa; Sesko, Openda
We say: Borussia Dortmund 1-3 RB Leipzig
It is difficult to see how Dortmund can avoid defeat given their sheer number of injury absentees, as well as their poor form.
Additionally, despite their continental struggles this term, RB Leipzig have been exceptional in the Bundesliga and it would not be surprising if they inflicted more misery upon Dortmund on Saturday.
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