“Courageous and hungry” in the Super Cup against Munich | OneFootball

The scenario

In six preseason matches, Borussia Dortmund showed a clear upward trend. Following a win against Rot-Weiß Oberhausen and a loss to Fortuna Düsseldorf, the Japan Tour also yielded mixed results – first a 0-1 loss to Cerezo Osaka, then a 1-0 win over FC Tokyo. BVB showed improvement toward the end of preseason with a 3-2 victory over English champions FC Arsenal and a 2-2 draw against AS Roma after trailing 0-2. Behind this marked improvement in form is also the gradual return of the World Cup players. It wasn’t until the season opener last Saturday that the last two national team players, Gregor Kobel and Julian Ryerson, returned to the squad.

“We’re at the start of the season. No one really knows where they stand yet. That’s why this game will be an indicator. We want to win this game – we’re playing at home. The first title is up for grabs, and we’d love to keep it here,” said BVB coach Niko Kovac. Lars Ricken, sporting director, added: “We should use this game to show our fans what our ambitions are: that we want to be bold, that we’re ready to fight for this title, and that we’re hungry for this game. A win could also serve as a catalyst for the rest of the season.”

Roster

“The roster is pretty full”—that’s the good news. At the same time, however, it presents BVB coach Niko Kovac with a challenge: “We’ll have to cut a few players.” Read more here:

Opponent

Six preseason friendlies, five wins. Only the opener at Wehen Wiesbaden was lost (1–2); Bayern Munich then went on to defeat FC Rottach-Egern (15–0) in preseason. On their Asian tour in South Korea and Hong Kong, they followed that up with wins against Jeju SK (2–1) and Aston Villa (2–1). Back in Germany, the team defeated Rasenballsport Leipzig (3–1) and 1. FC Heidenheim (4–2). During the summer break, Bayern bolstered their defense with Nathaniel Brown (Eintracht Frankfurt) and their attack with Ismael Saibari (PSV Eindhoven).

BVB can catch up to FCB

Saturday marks a milestone: In this year’s Super Cup, Borussia Dortmund and Bayern Munich will face off for the tenth time in an official match of this competition (there was also one unofficial game between the two teams). For the first time since 2021, the Munich side will be playing at SIGNAL IDUNA PARK.

The head-to-head record is nearly even: Munich has won five times so far, while BVB has won four times. With a victory, the Borussians can tie the series. In 2013, 2014, and 2019, the Black and Yellows prevailed at home against Munich.

For BVB, it would be their seventh official Super Cup title overall – following their victories in 1989, 1995, 1996, 2013, 2014, and 2019. This marks the 13th time the Black and Yellows have competed for the trophy. The next champion will be determined on Saturday. If there is no winner after 90 minutes, the match will go directly to a penalty shootout.Christina Reinke