Bayern Munich - Dortmund is a Bundesliga classic match that the whole world is looking forward to - where the two top clubs, also the most loved and watched teams in Germany, face each other.
Like last season with 2 breathless draws, this encounter promises to be extremely attractive, taking place in front of one of the most crowded stands in the world.
However, this is not a confrontation between two German teams that can be compared to the rivalry pairs of Real Madrid - Barcelona, Celtic - Rangers or Galatasaray - Fenerbahce. Bayern fans are not fixated on watching Dortmund's failures every week, and the same is true for Dortmund fans.
The game began to attract attention in the 1990s, when Bayern felt a real threat from Dortmund under the leadership ofottmar Hitzfeld - the coach who later successfully brought it to Munich. At that time, the "Gray Tigers" did not have the absolute dominance they have today, and their players did not consider the confrontation with Dortmund as a more special match than other matches.
It can be said that Der classsiker's most brilliant period was when Jurgen Klopp was still leading Dortmund. Two consecutive titles in 2011 and 2012 heated up tensions between the two sides, paving the way for the 2013 German Champions League final at Wembley - where Bayern won a thrilling victory.
Since then, Dortmund have not been able to win the Bundesliga again. The most painful year was 2023, when they dropped the championship to Bayern on the day of the break.
In the last two seasons, Der classsiker, although still the most watched match in the Bundesliga, has gradually lost some of his appeal. Instead, the encounters between Bayern and Bayer Leverkusen brought more drama.
Bayern Munich, under the leadership of Vincent Kompany, seems to be possessing one of the most formidable winning formulas in many years. That raises the question: is there anyone up to their standards in the Bundesliga?
Looking at the first 6 rounds, Dortmund is probably the only team capable of stopping Bayern's dominance. They may not have the quality of a comprehensive squad as their opponents, but under Niko Kovac, Dortmund have shown steadfastness, endurance and solid defense. If they are lucky, they can end Bayern's winning streak in all competitions.
There is a fairly common misconception that Bayern almost always beat Dortmund, especially when playing in Munich. The reality is different. In the last two visits, Dortmund left the Allianz Arena with a 2-0 victory and a 2-2 draw.
However, Bayern are still the leading candidate for victory this weekend. How could it be different, when they are on a 10-match winning streak in all competitions, scoring 38 goals in the early stages of the season alone.
The remaining problems from Kompany's first campaign as head coach have been completely resolved to the point where it is difficult to recognize weaknesses. Even with Jamal Musiala, Alphonso Davies and Hiroki Ito still sidelined, and Thomas Muller no longer a part of the squad, Bayern have played much better than last season.
In particular, Harry Kane, who has scored 11 goals in 6 Bundesliga matches so far, is on the way to breaking Robert Lewandowski's record of 41 goals in a season.
The match between Bayern Munich and Dortmund takes place at 11:30 p.m. on October 18 (Vietnam time).
