Dortmund welcome rising rivals Stuttgart as championship dreams fade

Borussia Dortmund will face German Cup champions Stuttgart at home on Saturday in the Bundesliga, with yet another opportunity for the title gradually escaping Niko Kovacs team.

Hired as Dortmunds manager in January when the club was struggling, Kovac stabilised the situation and guided his players to secure 22 out of 24 possible points, earning a spot in the Champions League.

This achievement sparked talk that Dortmund could contend for the championship this season, marking 14 years since their previous victory.

However, after just 10 matches, Dortmund trail Bayern Munich by seven points.

Kovacs squad continues to lose points too readily, whether against strong opponents or weaker ones.

Dortmund allowed late equalising goals in away fixtures versus underperformers St Pauli and Hamburg.

When facing competitive teams with similar ambitions like Bayern and RB Leipzig, the 2024 Champions League runners-up have fallen short.

Dortmund hold third place, matching Stuttgart on points but leading via goal difference.

Stuttgart were competing in the second tier as lately as 2019-20, yet they have outperformed Dortmund over recent years.

Since Sebastian Hoeness took over as Stuttgart manager in April 2023, they remain undefeated against Dortmund, with five wins and one draw.

Dortmund signed Stuttgarts key forward Serhou Guirassy and skipper Waldemar Anton in 2024, but the poor run persists.

Hoeness commented to journalists on Thursday: I enjoy facing Dortmund, it means taking on an elite side. Its enjoyable, though I was unaware our record was that strong.

Performing at Dortmund ranks among the toughest challenges in the Bundesliga.

In other action, Bayern Munich aim to recover from their first dropped points this season in any tournament, following the draw at Union Berlin last round, as they entertain Freiburg on Saturday.

On Saturday too, 2024 champions Bayer Leverkusen visit struggling Wolfsburg, while second-placed RB Leipzig host Werder Bremen on Sunday.

Player to watch: Danilho Doekhi (Union Berlin)

During their previous Bundesliga outing, defender Doekhi and Union Berlin achieved what no European team has this term by earning a point against Bayern Munich.

Doekhi netted twice in Unions 2-2 stalemate with Bayern, and the Dutch player shared with AFP and various outlets on Wednesday that his team might have discovered a way to halt Bayerns momentum.

We showed real intensity, he explained. We realise its tough to compete in our arena with our supporters backing us, so we aimed to rally them right from the start.

We dominated the physical battles and not just held firm defensively, we posed threats on counterattacks. Overall, it went effectively.

That display and Unions solid form this season suggest they will avoid relegation concerns, yet Doekhi cautioned against overconfidence.

The Bundesliga remains a demanding competition, he noted. A rough patch can send you tumbling down the standings. We must stay vigilant.

Key stats

13 - Harry Kane has netted 13 times in 10 matches this term. Three players, including Bayerns teammate Luis Diaz, follow with six goals each.

7 - St Pauli have suffered seven straight defeats.

7 - Across 10 league fixtures, Dortmund have shipped only seven goals, but each concession has led to lost points for Kovacs group.

Fixtures (1430 GMT unless stated)

Friday

Mainz v Hoffenheim (1930)

Saturday

Heidenheim v Borussia Moenchengladbach, Borussia Dortmund v Stuttgart, Bayern Munich v Freiburg, Augsburg v Hamburg, Wolfsburg v Bayer Leverkusen, Cologne v Eintracht Frankfurt (1730)

Sunday

RB Leipzig v Werder Bremen, St Pauli v Union Berlin (1630)