The Fort Worth Press - Crunch time for bruised Dortmund as Leipzig come to town

USD -
AED 3.673042
AFN 67.000368
ALL 90.550403
AMD 387.170403
ANG 1.802562
AOA 911.503981
ARS 990.263804
AUD 1.524104
AWG 1.8025
AZN 1.70397
BAM 1.799868
BBD 2.01951
BDT 119.519602
BGN 1.804519
BHD 0.376976
BIF 2897
BMD 1
BND 1.324161
BOB 6.936315
BRL 5.847504
BSD 1.000184
BTN 84.120338
BWP 13.371066
BYN 3.273087
BYR 19600
BZD 2.016087
CAD 1.39513
CDF 2887.50392
CHF 0.87032
CLF 0.034831
CLP 961.103912
CNY 7.122604
CNH 7.119295
COP 4422
CRC 512.884226
CUC 1
CUP 26.5
CVE 101.950394
CZK 23.370504
DJF 177.720393
DKK 6.881015
DOP 60.410393
DZD 133.44604
EGP 48.934404
ERN 15
ETB 121.050392
EUR 0.92257
FJD 2.27504
FKP 0.765169
GBP 0.773315
GEL 2.73504
GGP 0.765169
GHS 16.35039
GIP 0.765169
GMD 71.503851
GNF 8631.000355
GTQ 7.727632
GYD 209.157003
HKD 7.77765
HNL 25.050388
HRK 6.88903
HTG 131.620361
HUF 376.50604
IDR 15839.55
ILS 3.752355
IMP 0.765169
INR 84.094604
IQD 1310
IRR 42092.503816
ISK 137.303814
JEP 0.765169
JMD 158.535295
JOD 0.709104
JPY 152.91304
KES 129.000351
KGS 85.803799
KHR 4080.00035
KMF 453.850384
KPW 899.999774
KRW 1378.090383
KWD 0.30667
KYD 0.833487
KZT 489.135937
LAK 21925.000349
LBP 89615.643344
LKR 292.992224
LRD 191.950382
LSL 17.620381
LTL 2.95274
LVL 0.60489
LYD 4.820381
MAD 9.65038
MDL 17.902893
MGA 4615.000347
MKD 56.532191
MMK 3247.960992
MNT 3398.000028
MOP 8.012056
MRU 40.015039
MUR 45.860378
MVR 15.410378
MWK 1735.000345
MXN 20.23467
MYR 4.378504
MZN 63.910377
NAD 17.620377
NGN 1643.410377
NIO 36.750377
NOK 11.052995
NPR 134.587954
NZD 1.676345
OMR 0.384996
PAB 1.000267
PEN 3.774504
PGK 3.90775
PHP 58.418504
PKR 277.503701
PLN 4.023879
PYG 7901.457251
QAR 3.640504
RON 4.588304
RSD 107.964038
RUB 98.248195
RWF 1363
SAR 3.755814
SBD 8.319934
SCR 14.120372
SDG 601.503676
SEK 10.74597
SGD 1.32582
SHP 0.765169
SLE 22.750371
SLL 20969.496802
SOS 571.000338
SRD 34.615038
STD 20697.981008
SVC 8.750869
SYP 2512.530268
SZL 17.620369
THB 33.960369
TJS 10.631873
TMT 3.5
TND 3.094038
TOP 2.342104
TRY 34.353704
TTD 6.779864
TWD 31.908038
TZS 2695.000335
UAH 41.336603
UGX 3661.76315
UYU 41.421452
UZS 12825.000334
VEF 3622552.534434
VES 42.655598
VND 25300
VUV 118.722039
WST 2.801184
XAF 603.656225
XAG 0.029645
XAU 0.000367
XCD 2.70255
XDR 0.75176
XOF 602.503595
XPF 110.575037
YER 250.350363
ZAR 17.663904
ZMK 9001.203587
ZMW 26.82956
ZWL 321.999592
  • RBGPF

    -1.4000

    59.6

    -2.35%

  • RYCEF

    0.2800

    7.14

    +3.92%

  • CMSC

    0.0100

    24.56

    +0.04%

  • VOD

    0.0850

    9.355

    +0.91%

  • SCS

    0.1300

    12.16

    +1.07%

  • CMSD

    0.1300

    24.79

    +0.52%

  • RELX

    0.8600

    47.08

    +1.83%

  • BCC

    1.6400

    134.67

    +1.22%

  • GSK

    0.2250

    36.985

    +0.61%

  • RIO

    0.3550

    65.245

    +0.54%

  • BCE

    -0.2900

    31.97

    -0.91%

  • JRI

    -0.0500

    13.03

    -0.38%

  • NGG

    0.6800

    64.27

    +1.06%

  • BP

    -0.1200

    29.24

    -0.41%

  • BTI

    0.0250

    35.005

    +0.07%

  • AZN

    0.3000

    71.45

    +0.42%

Crunch time for bruised Dortmund as Leipzig come to town
Crunch time for bruised Dortmund as Leipzig come to town / Photo: © AFP

Crunch time for bruised Dortmund as Leipzig come to town

Battered and bruised amid their worst league start in a decade, Borussia Dortmund could hardly have picked a tougher time to host red-hot RB Leipzig on Saturday.

Text size:

Seventh in the league, Dortmund were booted out of the German Cup by struggling Wolfsburg in extra-time on Tuesday, their second round exit the earliest in the competition in 15 years.

Dortmund have lost four of their past five in all competitions, including an embarassing 5-2 capitulation away at Real Madrid after holding a 2-0 halftime lead.

Champions League finalists last season, Dortmund's struggles have raised questions about the suitability of new coach Nuri Sahin, who replaced Edin Terzic in the summer.

Sahin on Friday recognised the "difficult situation" but also sounded a determined note.

"We'll get out of this," he said. "We can turn it round. With the defeats, the cup exit and the injury list, its extremely bitter, but we will still have a good team on the pitch."

Dortmund are missing 10 first-team players, with goalkeeper Gregor Kobel on Friday ruled out of Saturday's game.

"Ten injured players is a tough blow. I haven't experienced that before but we'll stick to ourselves and not hide behind excuses. That would be too easy."

Leipzig on the other hand have been in fine form this season.

They sit unbeaten alongside Bayern Munich with 20 points atop the Bundesliga table, seven ahead of Dortmund after just eight games. They have conceded just three goals in the league, keeping six clean sheets.

Leipzig have not lost a league match since February, a run of 19 games.

Leipzig coach Marco Rose, who was surprisingly sacked as Dortmund manager after just one season in 2022 despite a second-placed finish, said the clash would be "enjoyable and exciting".

"We're in excellent form and have good results behind us. We're in a good place and have confidence -- we want to play with conviction, trust and a lot of energy."

The run has Leipzig dreaming of breaking through for a debut title, following Bayer Leverkusen's example last season.

Speaking with AFP and other media in October, Leipzig defender David Raum said "if Leverkusen did it last year, we can do it also.

"We've already won the German Cup (in 2022 and 2023), but winning a league is something else -- you have to be consistent over the whole season.

"Bayern have a very good coach and a very good team, so they're very dangerous, but also Leverkusen and Dortmund have good squads, so let's see.

"But I think we have the quality to stay there."

The one thing in Dortmund's favour is their home record this season.

Dortmund's four wins in the league have all come at home, while their best performance under Sahin -- a 7-1 Champions League thrashing of Celtic -- was also at the Westfalenstadion.

Elsewhere, Bayer Leverkusen host Stuttgart on Friday, a rematch of the DFL Supercup, while Bayern Munich play at home against Union Berlin.

One to watch: Omar Marmoush (Eintracht Frankfurt)

After failing to score in Sunday's 1-1 draw at Union Berlin, Omar Marmoush came off the bench to net the winner against Borussia Moenchengladbach in the German Cup on Wednesday.

Marmoush has a league-best nine goals, equal with Harry Kane, along with four assists this season.

After celebrating with a blood-stained Halloween mask on Wednesday, next on Marmoush's chopping block is rock-bottom Bochum.

"I believe Omar can be a bogeyman for every opponent," said Frankfurt coach Dino Toppmoeller. "But he doesn't need to put on a mask."

Key stats

19 - RB Leipzig are unbeaten in 19 league games dating back to February 2024 -- a club record.

13 - Bayern have scored 13 goals and conceded none in their past three games against German opposition.

0 - Union Berlin are yet to beat Bayern in 10 matches, with three draws and seven losses.

Fixtures (1430 GMT unless stated)

Friday

Bayer Leverkusen v Stuttgart (1930)

Saturday

Eintracht Frankfurt v Bochum, Holstein Kiel v Union Berlin, Wolfsburg v Augsburg, Bayern Munich v Union Berlin, Hoffenheim v St Pauli, Borussia Dortmund v RB Leipzig (1730)

Sunday

Freiburg v Mainz, Borussia Moenchengladbach v Werder Bremen (1630)

K.Ibarra--TFWP