The most popular fixture in German football has seemingly lost its charm as the league leaders take on a side which is currently tenth in the league table. The clash which has in the past resulted in being a title decider will not hold much importance this time around.
The Bavarians sit comfortable at the top and look certain to defend their title. Dortmund on the other hand have massively underachieved but will be eying a European place. However for the Black and Yellows this tie holds a lot of importance, since beating Bayern Munich will result in a massive boost of confidence which could really help them achieve their targets during the course of the season.
Dortmund fans have suffered a lot of heartache this season but beating their fierce rivals could potentially repair a lot of damage. The tie on Saturday is expected to deliver a lot of entertainment and a fair bit of malice with both Mario Gotze and Robert Lewandowski poised to play some part during the match.
The Dortmund fans will do their upmost to make life miserable for both their former players and will be itching for their team to achieve a positive result. BVB can fancy their chances on Saturday with Bayern missing the services of key players, the most prominent of which is Dutch winger Arjen Robben..jpg?q=75&w=634)
The 31 year old has been a revelation under the tutelage of Pep Guardiola and seems to be getting better with every passing season. The former Chelsea man has been a potent goal scorer this season and has already registered 17 goals in league outings. 
However much to the dismay of Pep and Bayern the mercurial forward suffered an injury just 24 minutes into his comeback in the match against Gladbach. His absence will really hurt Bayern's chances during the match and Dortmund should use this to their benefit. His partner in crime Franck Ribery has also been ruled out of the tie as well as the hugely talented David Alaba, which should give BVB fans a lot of confidence heading into the match.
Dortmund have fared well against their counterparts on Saturday having won three of their last five matches. However they must bear in mind that things might get ugly very soon should they have a lapse in concentration. The Reds under Pep Guardiola have played with a very different philosophy. They dictate play and dominate possession, with the back line pushed forward to ensure that the ball is not lost.
However despite of all their frailties this season, Dortmund's transition play is still one of their strengths and this is how they can hurt their opponents. Bayern's style of play leaves them susceptible at the back and with the players they have in their ranks, Dortmund can hit them on the counter and make them suffer.
The pace and trickery of Marco Reus and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang will prove to be useful here with the duo likely to spearhead the attack. They are most likely to have Shinji Kagawa operating behind them who is capable of playing those key passes which can create goal scoring opportunities. Ilkay Gundogan will also have a very important role to play during the match and must use his play breaking abilities to the team's benefit.
However this is all easier said than done and for Dortmund to carry out this plan, it will take a lot of perseverance especially bearing in mind that they might go lengthy periods without touching the ball which can often be quite frustrating. Dortmund should take lessons from Borussia Gladbach's defensive performance against Bayern last time out which ended in Lucien Favre's men condemning the league leaders to a defeat at their own backyard.
Even though it is unlikely that Jurgen Klopp will be adopting such a conservative approach, it is important that his team maintains discipline throughout the game. Whereas Dortmund will not be able to achieve the targets that might have been set at the beginning of the season, three points on Saturday will add life to what has been a very bleak season so far for them.
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