Borussia Dortmund refuse to relinquish the Bundesliga title to fierce rivals Bayern Munich without a fight this season. Thomas Tuchel’s side have impressively been matching Pep Guardiola’s men step for step in 2016, picking up 16 points from 18 since returning from their winter break.
BVB have impressively racked up four clean sheets in the six games and will lock horns with Bayern next month off the back of fantastic form. They will know victory over Bayern could be the catalyst to them pipping the defending champions to the league crown, and Guardiola will be somewhat wary as a result.
Bayern Munich are still winning games in the league, but if they do have an achilles heel it’s their away form. The leaders have dropped points on the road this season, and will come up against a Dortmund side unbeaten in their own backyard. The gap could be cut to five points with still to play for, and Tuchel’s men are sensing Bayern could yet slip up.
Supporters are venting their fury at Guardiola for announcing plans to move to Manchester City at the end of the season despite there being months to go of the current campaign, so there’s a chance the players might respond negatively to the media furore coming the manager’s way.
It’s clear Borussia Dortmund aren’t going to give up in the title race, and they have in fact matched Bayern point for point over the last 10 league games. Their destiny isn’t quite in their own hands, but victory over their title rivals could ignite a slump in form.
Regardless, BVB will be furious of their own dip in results between September and October where they went three games without a win, losing to Bayern at the Allianz Arena for their troubles too. It’s left them with a mountain to climb in the table, but their recent run of results mean Bayern are going to have to keep winning to keep Dortmund off their back.
“My players love the challenge. They can really show what they’re made of. Taking (the title-race) step by step is the only way for us. It doesn’t make sense to hope and to get distracted (by what is happening at Bayern). The situation for Bayern is just as it is, and for us the situation is just as it is. It is very important that we show ourselves, that we follow our own way, and only our way. We need to maintain the unconditional spirit of this group,” said Tuchel.
Can Borussia Dortmund catch Bayern Munich?
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