By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
Der Klassiker, the standout fixture between Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund, faces diminished excitement due to the widening performance gap.
The log leaders go into the clash on Saturday evening with an eight-point lead over their great rivals Dortmund, giving them the chance to extend that margin to 11 points with only 10 more matches remaining, and edge a big step closer to retaining the title.
Dortmund will be raring to inject fresh life into the title race with a win at Signal IdunaPark. Given they have lost just one of their past 31 Bundesliga matches (a 2-1 defeat in Munich in the first Der Klassiker of the season), they have cause to be con dent against an incredible Bayern side.
Both teams showed resilience yet some vulnerability in the weekend ahead of Der Klassiker, with Bayern racing into a 3-0 lead against Eintracht Frankfurt at home but needing to sweat after conceding two late goals. Dortmund, for their part, needed a Fabio Silva strike in stoppage time to complete a comeback and secure a 2-2 draw at RB Leipzig.
The rivals’ star strikers could have a decisive say on Saturday. Harry Kane kept his sensational form going with a brace against Frankfurt that moves him onto 28 goals already for the season. Dortmund’s Serhou Guirassy has almost kept pace with Kane in February, however, hitting ve Bundesliga goals in four appearances over the month (compared to the Englishman’s six in three).
Elsewhere, other sides vying for spots in the top four will all hope to press on this weekend.
After a disappointing 1-0 defeat at 1. FC Union Berlin, Bayer 04 Leverkusen have the chance to bounce back at home to 1. FSV Mainz 05 on Saturday afternoon. Third placed TSG Ho enheim are also at home to FC St. Pauli at the same time, but both away sides will be eager to spring a surprise and claim vital points in their battles for survival.
VfB Stuttgart host another side embroiled in the scrap towards the bottom of the table,VfL Wolfsburg, in the first of three fixtures on Sunday. The final encounter of the matchday sees RB Leipzig visit Hamburger SV.
While the top two battle it out on Saturday evening, the bottom two will also face off in the afternoon. 1. FC Heidenheim 1846 are currently in last spot but can take heart from a battling 3-3 draw against Stuttgart as they travel to SV Werder Bremen, who are five points ahead of them in 17th but without a win in 13 Bundesliga matches.
The big weekend begins in Bavaria as an FC Augsburg side that’s won four of the last five welcome 1. FC Köln and Ragnar Ache fresh from his Goal of the Season contender overhead kick against Hoffenheim.