Borussia Dortmund vs RB Leipzig– Preview, H2H, Line-ups, Prediction | Bundesliga 2021-22

Erling Haaland-Borussia Dortmund

Borussia Dortmund will welcome RB Leipzig to Westfalenstadion this Saturday in what is a must-win Bundesliga game for both teams 

Venue: Signal Iduna Park (Dortmund) 

Key Statistics

Borussia Dortmund are unbeaten in their last six games (W3, D3).

The hosts have earned 11 wins from 13 home matches (L2) – their joint-most at this stage of any Bundesliga campaign. 

Only Bayern have picked up more points at home this season (34) than Dortmund (33).

Erling Haaland has scored braces in each of his three competitive meetings with Leipzig to date.

Marco Reus is poised to make his 350th appearance for Dortmund. He has registered 153 goals and 108 assists in his first 349.

RB Leipzig failed to win away from home in the Bundesliga under Jesse Marsch, but have lost just one of six on the road – to Bayern – since Tedesco came in.

The visitors are unbeaten across nine straight competitive outings (W6, D3).

They have won their last five away games.

Since opening his account for the Bundesliga season on Matchday 6, Christopher Nkunku has only failed to score, assist or both in seven of 22 games.

Head to head

In 12 head-to-head encounters between the two sides, Borussia Dortmund hold the clear advantage. They have won seven games, lost three and drawn two. 

Latest performances in all competitions

Dortmund: D-W-W-D-D

Leipzig: D-W-W-W-D

 Borussia Dortmund

Borussia Dortmund will continue their quest for a first Bundesliga title in almost ten years when they welcome fourth-placed RB Leipzig to the Signal Iduna Park on Saturday.

The hosts moved on from their shocking exit from the Europa League at the hands of Rangers, and remain unbeaten in the Bundesliga since the turn of the year. They have picked up eight points from a possible 12 in their last four matches since their exit from the European stage. 

However, their last game before the international break was a disappointing 1-1 draw with Cologne, that saw Sebastian Andersson cancel out a Marius Wolf early goal. That result left second-placed BVB trailing the leaders Bayern Munich with six points. 

With seven games left to play, Marco Rose will be hoping to remain in the title race for as long as possible.

This fixture has greatly favoured Die Schwarzgelben, who have won four of their last five head-to-head games to date, but they suffered a defeat in the reverse fixture back in November with the tie ending 2-1 in Leipzig’s favour.

They will hope to avenge that loss in this game but might have to do so without Erling Haaland, who will undergo a late test to determine if he will take part in this encounter after picking up an ankle injury while on international duty. His absence will be an enormous blow for Dortmund as they aim to re-assert their dominance over Leipzig while chasing down Bayern Munich.

Possible Borussia Dortmund starting line-up

Gregor Kobel, Marius Wolf, Mats Hummels, Manuel Akanji, Raphael Guerreiro, Emre Can, Jude Bellingham, Julian Brandt, Giovanni Reyna, Thorgan Hazard, Donyell Malen.

Injured: Nico Schulz, Mateu Morey, Felix Passlack, Steffen Tigges, Thomas Meunier

Doubtful: Youssoufa Moukoko, Marcel Schmelzer, Erling Braut Haaland

Suspended: None

RB Leipzig

Leipzig are on a good run of games, having lost only once in 2022 in a match against Bayern Munich which turned their season around under Domenico Tedesco. 

They sit fourth in the Bundesliga table just three points behind Bayer Leverkusen in the third position. Before going into the international break, Leipzig were held to a goalless draw against Eintracht Frankfurt, failing to beat an inspired Frankfurt goalkeeper who made six saves on the day.

Despite the result, Dominic Tedesco’s team are well placed to secure a Champions League spot for next season. But they must be wary not to slip up given that Freiburg are lurking directly below them in fifth place on goal difference alone. 

Meanwhile, central to everything good at Leipzig, this term has been Christopher Nkunku, who is fourth on the top-scorer list, one goal behind Haaland. The Frenchman also has nine assists to his name, and both scored and assisted in the reverse fixture. 

Fresh from his long overdue France debut, he’ll be expected to lead the lines. With first-choice goalkeeper Peter Gulacsi injured joining Amadou Haidara and Yussuf Poulsen on the injury bed, Domenico Tedesco will have to rely on backup goalie Josep Martinez to get the job done as they aim to do the double against the Bundesliga big boys.

Possible RB Leipzig starting line-up

Josep Martinez, Mohamed Simakan, Willi Orban, Josko Gvardiol, Benjamin Henrichs, Konrad Laimer, Kevin Kampl, Marcel Halstenberg, Dani Olmo, Christopher Nkunku, Andre Silva.

Injured: Yussuf Poulsen, Amadou Haidara

Doubtful: Lukas Klostermann, Peter Gulacsi

Suspended: None

Prediction

Dortmund 3-2 Leipzig