Bundesliga: Tuchel Faces His Former Side in Bayern Debut

Bayern Munich vs Borussia Dortmund

Bayern Munich are set to host Borussia Dortmund for the 133^rd edition of the Der Klassiker this Saturday at the Allianz Arena.

Borussia Dortmund have yet to lose a match this year, and they now control their destiny. However, Edin Terzic’s men only hold a one-point lead in the Bundesliga standings, so this is the time for them to make a statement on the road.

It’s easier said than done against Bayern Munich, though, as they’ve won in these types of games before. And leading the way for the defending champions is a familiar face for the visitors.

Thomas Tuchel said that he is prepared for his new job and will make his Bayern Munich debut. He has participated in previous Der Klassikers while coaching BVB, but this time he is on the opposing team.

Talking Points

Tuchel the midseason specialist?

With their 2022-23 Bundesliga campaign in jeopardy, Bayern Munich made the drastic move to replace Julian Nagelsmann with Thomas Tuchel with the hope that the latter can replicate the success he had at Chelsea when he joined them two years ago.

When Tuchel replaced Frank Lampard in the middle of the 2020-21 season, the Blues went on to reach the FA Cup final, where they would eventually lose to Leicester City, and they beat Manchester City in the Champions League final.

More trophies and finals appearances came for him and Chelsea, but everything changed when Todd Boehly bought Chelsea at the beginning of this season. Boehly and Tuchel didn’t have a great working relationship, so Tuchel took a hiatus from coaching after he was fired.

Tuchel had only begun working with Bayern Munich on Monday, so he has little time to fully implement his ideas with the group. But being the great tactician that he is, Tuchel should be up to the task.

Bayern Munich only have Lucas Hernandez (knee) and Manuel Neuer (leg) as long-term absentees, but they’re sweating on the fitness of wunderkind Jamal Musiala, who had to withdraw from the Germany national team due to a thigh injury.

Even with their stacked deck, the Bavarians would certainly miss Musiala if he’s out for this contest, as he’s the team’s second-best scorer and top playmaker with 11 goals and 10 assists.

Borussia Dortmund’s strength in numbers

The main reason why Borussia Dortmund are in pole position is because they are a much deeper team this season compared to before.

Despite having zero double-digit scorers so far, they have 17 different players who have opened their scoring account this season, giving Edin Terzic the luxury to choose who can start against the defending champions as he sees fit.

Julian Brandt and Raphael Guerreiro have been the unsung heroes for this team. But in the end, they can only go as far as Jude Bellingham takes them.

Bellingham is a hot commodity in the transfer market, and for good reason, as he’s been one of the best midfielders in the world today.

He has recorded eight goals, five assists, 26 chances created, and 29 key interceptions. The English international is also in the top percentile for accurate passes.

For the first time in a long while, Borussia Dortmund are now the hunted rather than the hunter.

History

Borussia Dortmund held Bayern Munich to a 2-2 draw last October in what was arguably the best Bundesliga match this season.

When Anthony Modeste scored the late equaliser during added time, Bayern Munich CEO Oliver Kahn was visibly upset because his team wasted two valuable points.

Before the 2-2 draw, Bayern Munich had beaten Borussia Dortmund eight straight times across all competitions. BVB have also lost their last eight Bundesliga matches away at Bayern Munich.

In their Bundesliga history, BVB only had one longer losing streak away from home: against Werder Bremen from 1979 to 1989 (L10).

But in terms of recent form, Borussia Dortmund have the edge because they’ve yet to lose this year (W9, D1), while Bayern Munich have only won five of their 10 Bundesliga games in 2023 (D3, L2).

Betting Tip

The SBOTOP Bundesliga 2023 odds favour Bayern Munich to win at home for this super Saturday clash, as they’re installed at 1.45, while Borussia Dortmund are surprisingly priced low at 5.20, and a draw is at 4.50 in the 1X2 market.

As it has been in their reverse fixture, we expect a close battle filled with Bundesliga 2023 highlights. But in the end, we think that Thomas Tuchel will get a victory on his very first day on the Bayern Munich job.

 

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