Last Saturday, Borussia Dortmund came very close to defeating Leipzig by more than one point. BVB coach Niko Kovač lamented, “We even had the chance at the end to win the game,” alluding to Julian Brandt’s huge opportunity to nearly entirely flip the scoreline just three minutes after Fábio Silva’s equalizer in the fifth minute of stoppage time. However, RB goalie Maarten Vandevoordt denied him. However, the Dortmund camp was happy with the point earned despite the possibility of a victory. Many would have written them off after they were behind 2-0 at the half. Kovač went on, “What happened in the second half was mentality. It’s class, it’s bouncing back.” We deserved the point because of this.

Character and consistency
After his goal in Leipzig, Karim Adeyemi leaps in celebration of Fabio Silva.
Féliio Silva saved a point for BVB in Leipzig with his first Bundesliga goal. | © Imago
This season, BVB has pulled themselves back into a game on multiple occasions. Dortmund’s lack of character has long since been addressed, in part because they have won four Bundesliga games in 2025–2026 thanks to goals in stoppage time. The Black-and-Yellows have gone undefeated in 16 league games overall, longer than any other team in the German top division. They have only lost once in the Bundesliga this season, exactly like FC Bayern, but that was in their earlier meeting on Matchday 7 (2-1), which was essential to the record champions’ eight-point lead heading into Saturday’s rematch.

Despite injuries, a strong defense
However, since Matchday 15, Dortmund has been Bayern’s nearest rival. Coach Kovač is largely responsible for this new consistency, as his more practical style has given BVB defensive stability in contrast to the occasionally stunning attacking football of recent years. In the current Bundesliga season, the Black-and-Yellows have given up the second-fewest goals (22) after FCB (21), and the same is true for opposition attempts (FCB: 219, BVB: 241). Borussia are actually in the lead when it comes to clean sheets (11) and opposition big opportunities (22). And that’s in spite of serious injury concerns in the center of defense: captain Emre Can, former Bayern player Niklas Köle, and star defender Nico Schlotterbeck have all recently missed games.

Borussia’s top supplier, Julian Ryerson, throws the ball down for a corner. | © Getty Images Julian Ryerson is suspended for Saturday’s crucial game.
Therefore, Kovač has trusted 18-year-old Luca Reggiani, who performed admirably in the Bundesliga game in Leipzig as well as the Champions League play-off match against Atalanta. Can made a comeback on Wednesday night in the second leg in Atalanta, where BVB was eliminated from the competition after losing 4-1. Schlotterbeck might also be able to play again on Saturday, but Borussia will be without another important player: Julian Ryerson was sent off for his fifth yellow card of the season last weekend and is now suspended for one game. The Norwegian full-back has been vital for BVB lately as the league’s top supplier (11 assists) after Michael Olise (16), so his loss will be felt outside of defense.

In the air, dangerous
Official DFL statistics show that Dortmund leads the division in headed goals (11) and goals from corners (nine) and crosses in open play (ten), all of which are a result of Ryerson’s lethal deliveries. In terms of goals scored, BVB (49), once again, is second only to Bayern (85). Kovač can use all of his attacking resources compared to the defense. With five goals in his last four league games, striker Serhou Guirassy is back to his best and is anticipated to start at the top. The other attacking spots are highly competitive, and the former Croatian international has almost no choice in quality between Karim Adeyemi, Julian Brandt, Maximilian Beier, or Fábio Silva. Which players have the freshness needed for this Bundesliga match after the trip to Bergamo will probably play a major role in the team selection.

In the Bundesliga encounter against Mainz, Serhou Guirassy scores with his head. Dortmund defeated Mainz 4-0 in their most recent home game, and all four of their goals were headers. | © Imago Borussia’s strength at home is another advantage they bring to the contest on Saturday. BVB has won their previous six games in front of their own supporters, making them the only Bundesliga team that hasn’t lost at home this season (W9, D2). At Signal Iduna Park, goalie Gregor Kobel has only picked the ball out of his net eight times this season. Will the league leaders now be stopped by the “Yellow Wall”?