Dortmund attempt to keep pace with Bayern with difficult trip to Hoffenheim

DORTMUND, GERMANY - AUGUST 26: Marcelo Saracchi of RB Leipzig and Marco Reus of Borussia Dortmund battle for the ball during the Bundesliga match between Borussia Dortmund and RB Leipzig at Signal Iduna Park on August 26, 2018 in Dortmund, Germany. (Photo by TF-Images/Getty Images) /

Bayern Munich have already gone top of the Bundesliga; for the competitiveness of the league as much as their own success, Borussia Dortmund need to keep up.

Borussia Dortmund face another test of their title credentials this weekend against Julian Nagelsmann’s Hoffenheim.

Hoffenheim played away in Shakhtar in the Champions League on Wednesday night, drawing 2-2 in a tensely fought match.

Dortmund played and won 0-1 against Club Brugge on Tuesday, so will have had an extra day’s rest and recovery, as well as a much less strenuous travel commitment.

The visitors have won twice and drawn once since the season began, but this trip to the Rhein-Neckar Arena is their toughest test yet.

Lucien Farve’s side beat RB Leipzig 4-1, but that was at home; Hoffenheim as hosts are a different prospect.

Nagelsmann’s team have had a tough start to the season and will be looking to get some more points on the board. Their only victory this season came against Freiburg at home, while they lost away at Bayern Munich and Fortuna Dusseldorf.

Key battles

With Kerem Demirbay injured, more emphasis is expected to fall onto the shoulders of Nadiem Amiri, who was left out of the Champions League match with fatigue, presumably with the Dortmund game in mind.

Dortmund, in contrast, have multiple midfield options. Thomas Delaney, the Danish central midfielder, is expected to miss out, but Mario Gotze, Axel Witsel and Julian Weigl could all play, retaining their places from European duty.

Andrej Kramaric is Hoffenheim’s chief central striker and the burden will largely fall on him to score the goals, while Dortmund have the likes of Jadon Sancho, Christian Pulisic and Maxi Philipp to call upon.

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Previous meetings

Neither team has managed to win both league matches since the 2014-15 season.

The away side has not won in this fixture since May 2013 when Sejad Salihovic scored two goals in the final quarter of an hour in a 1-2 win for Hoffenheim.

Last season, Dortmund won 2-1 at Signal Iduna Park, with Hoffenheim prevailing by three goals to one when they hosted at the Rhein Neckar Arena.

In 2016-17, Dortmund also won 2-1 at home, with a 2-2 draw played out in Hoffenheim in the reverse fixture.

Both teams have scored in each of the last eight matches between the clubs, so goals can be expected.

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