German soccer is gearing up for one of the most important games of the year. Bayern Munich hosts Borussia Dortmund on Saturday (October 31, 7:30 p.m.) at the Allianz Arena in the big derby of the 8th matchday of the Bundesliga. The two traditional powerhouses of German soccer are tied at the top of the standings with 17 points, having recorded five wins and two draws in their first seven matches.
This matchup is drawing even more interest due to the form of both teams. On the one hand, Bayern boasts the league’s most prolific offense with 25 goals scored, while on the other, Dortmund has fielded one of the best defenses in Europe, having conceded just four goals in seven matches, with five clean sheets.
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However, Bayern’s preparations for the big derby have been marred by problems. Vincent Kompany will not be on the bench, as he was hospitalized due to a health issue and needs time to recover. His assistant, Aaron Danks, has taken over coaching duties and made it clear that there will be no major changes to the champions’ game plan.
Meanwhile, Luis Díaz will be out due to a hamstring injury, while Jamal Musiala’s availability remains in doubt. Of course, Harry Kane is in top form, having won the Ballon d’Or.
On the other hand, the big question mark for the Westphalians concerns Konstantinos Karetsas. The Greek international is suffering from a ligament injury in his leg, which he sustained in the match against Union Berlin on October 17. The 18-year-old attacking midfielder has returned to part of the team’s training program and is racing against time to be ready for the big game.
Kovac emphasized that he is monitoring the player’s condition daily, with the final decision on his participation depending on how he responds during the final training sessions.
Matchday 8 schedule:
Friday, Oct.
30: Elversberg vs. Mainz (9:30 p.m.)
Saturday, Oct. 31
Bayer Leverkusen vs. Stuttgart (4:30 p.m.)
Augsburg vs. Freiburg (4:30 p.m.)
Gladbach vs. Paderborn (4:30 p.m.)
Werder Bremen vs. Hoffenheim (4:30 p.m.)
Schalke vs. Leipzig (4:30 p.m.)
Bayern Munich vs. Dortmund (7:30 p.m.)
Sunday, Nov. 1
Union Berlin vs. Cologne (4:30 p.m.)
Eintracht Frankfurt vs. Hamburg (6:30 p.m.)
Next Matchday (9th)
Friday, November 6
Hamburg vs. Gladbach (9:30 p.m.)
Saturday, November 7
Dortmund vs. Elversberg (4:30 p.m.)
Leipzig vs. Augsburg (4:30 p.m.)
Mainz vs. Bayern Munich (4:30 p.m.)
Paderborn vs. Eintracht Frankfurt (4:30 p.m.)
Stuttgart vs. Werder Bremen (7:30 p.m.)
Sunday, November
8 Cologne vs. Bayer Leverkusen (4:30 p.m.)
Freiburg vs. Union Berlin (6:30 p.m.)
Hoffenheim vs. Schalke (8:30 p.m.)
*photo source: AP
