Wounded Bayern and Dortmund look for answers in untimely Klassiker
BERLIN (AP) — The Champions League is not doing Der Klassiker any favors.
Bayern Munich hosts Borussia Dortmund on Saturday for what has traditionally been one of the Bundesliga's showpiece games of the season, but both rivals are smarting after chastening Champions League defeats and preoccupied by how they might continue in Europe's premier competition.
Bayern, in particular, will be focused on its second leg quarterfinal at Inter Milan on Wednesday, when it will need to overturn a one-goal deficit after conceding late in the first leg. Munich hosts the Champions League final in May.
Dortmund was outclassed by Barcelona 4-0 in their quarterfinal first leg and bracing for another demonstration when the Spanish giant visits for the second leg on Tuesday.
In recent seasons, Der Klassiker has been key to deciding the league title. But Bayern's main rival in the last couple of years has been Bayer Leverkusen – currently six points behind the Bavarian powerhouse with six games remaining.
Dortmund is languishing in eighth place after a humbling season, though it still harbors hopes of finishing in the top four to qualify for the lucrative Champions League.
A win against Bayern in Munich would boost those hopes and help Leverkusen keep alive its dwindling chances of defending its title.
A look at what else is happening in the Bundesliga this weekend:
Key matchups
— While Bayern and Dortmund hog attention in the evening, Leverkusen will be hoping to pressure Bayern with a win over visiting Union Berlin earlier. But Union has won its last two games and is unbeaten in four.
— Wolfsburg hosts Leipzig on Friday with the visitor looking for another win to provisionally move into the top four, pressuring Eintracht Frankfurt, Mainz and Borussia Mönchengladbach, its rivals for European qualification.
— Holstein Kiel hosts St. Pauli in a relegation battle on Saturday. Kiel (18 points) gained a valuable point against Mainz last weekend and can climb off the bottom with a win, depending on how Bochum (20) fares against Augsburg. Heidenheim (22) visits Frankfurt on Sunday.
Players to watch
— Bayern's Harry Kane had a bad miss in the 2-1 loss to Inter on Tuesday and will be keen to warm up for the trip to Italy by adding to his 23 league goals.
— Ermedin Demirović hit a hat trick for Stuttgart against Bochum last weekend and can add to his 13 goals in a key game against visiting Werder Bremen on Saturday. Bremen and Stuttgart still have chances of European qualification.
— 'We have to defend more and better than today. Because we'll also have problems in Munich without a defense.' — Dortmund coach Niko Kovać after his team's 4-0 loss in Barcelona.
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