The Revierderby, also known as the Ruhr Derby, is set to light up the Bundesliga on Saturday. The football on show is set to be exciting; however, the quality of the derby itself might be poorer compared to recent seasons simply because of the injuries on both sides. Dortmund's results have suffered recently as has Schalke's. Both Jürgen Klopp and Jens Keller are aware that their opposite sides are injury hit at the moment. Fielding eleven on the pitch is becoming difficult for the two teams.
Dortmund's partnership in defensive midfield has recently consisted of Milos Jojic and Sven Bender. An alternative to that partnership would be helpful but Sebastian Kehl's absence means that the pairing are there to stay. Nuri Sahin is sorely missed as well. Ilkay Gündogan's injury still remains a mysterious one.
Some stability at the back would allow Bender and Jojic to feel more secure nonetheless. However, the back four have been inconsistent. Mats Hummels, the captain, has finally returned but whether Klopp will start him in a game of this magnitude almost immediately after his comeback is doubtful. Matthias Ginter's errors at the back saw him relegated to the bench. Neven Subotic has not returned to form yet after his injury lay off. Marcel Schmelzer has not been producing good performances either.
These issues have seen Klopp's side drop five valuable points in the space of a week in the league. They lost to Mainz last week by two goals. Shinji Okazaki gave Mainz the lead. Ciro Immobile had the chance to equalize soon afterward from the spot due to a handball by the aforementioned Okazaki. His penalty was a good one but Loris Karius managed to save it. Soon afterward, Ginter put the ball in his own net.
In midweek, Dortmund quickly went down by two goals against Stuttgart. Stuttgart deserved their lead. However, they fought back with Immobile scoring Dortmund's second roughly four minutes before the end of normal time. Schalke meanwhile earned their first win of the campaign in midweek against Werder Bremen, 3-0, although they were hardly convincing. They were down against Eintracht Frankfurt last week but managed to earn a 2-2 draw. Julian Draxler was sent off though. Schalke will thus be without Draxler, captain Benedikt Höwedes, Jefferson Farfan and Leon Goretzka among other absentees.
A win is a must for both sides to keep up with Bayern. Who will manage to steal three points in this one?
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