Leaders Dortmund target overcoming Munich hoodoo

Borussia Dortmund can gatecrash former boss Thomas Tuchel’s unveiling party at Bayern Munich today and take another step closer to thwarting the Bavarian giants’ bid for an 11th consecutive Bundesliga title.

Leaders Dortmund sit one point clear of Bayern but face their title rivals at Munich’s Allianz Arena, which has been a graveyard for their aspirations in the post-Juergen Klopp era.

Winning nine of 10 league matches in 2023, Dortmund come into the match in blistering form.

Bayern have won five from 10 in that period, leading to the dismissal last week of manager Julian Nagelsmann for former Dortmund boss Tuchel.

Dortmund’s last league win in Munich came in 2014 under Klopp with the title race well and truly decided in Bayern’s favour.

Since then, Bayern have chalked up eight Der Klassiker victories in a row, scoring 33 goals and conceding just six.

“It’s a huge game for all of us. It’s a matter of building confidence and anticipation,” said Tuchel.

“There’s no bigger challenge than starting my time here with a game against Dortmund. It’s the biggest game in German football, and has an added element to it, given the current state of the league table.”

In 2018-19, the last time Dortmund headed to Munich in first place late in the season, the visitors were handed a footballing lesson.

Thrashed 5-0 after being down 4-0 at half-time, Dortmund would ultimately lose the title to Bayern by two points.

Even Tuchel, the most successful Dortmund coach of the post-Klopp era, could not manage a league win in Munich. He was however in the hot seat the last time Dortmund won at the Allianz, a 3-2 comeback victory in the semis of the 2016-17 German Cup.

While a draw would preserve Dortmund’s one-point lead with eight games remaining, midfielder Emre Can said this week “we’re going there to win.”

“It’s going to be extremely difficult, but we believe in ourselves.”

Third-ranked Union Berlin host bottom club Stuttgart today.