The home stretch of the 2023 calendar year: the Borussia Dortmund first team still have six games before Christmas. The Black & Yellows will be in action in all three competitions: Bundesliga, DFB-Pokal and UEFA Champions League.

Sunday 3 December (17:30 CET): Bayer Leverkusen vs. BVB
BVB will be away to the league leaders on the first Sunday of Advent: Bayer Leverkusen are still unbeaten in all competitions this season and currently top the Bundesliga standings with 11 victories and one draw (against Bayern Munich). BVB have taken the three points back home to Dortmund with them in both of the last two campaigns: the Black & Yellows ran out 2-0 away victors in January this year and claimed a 4-3 win in September 2021.

Wednesday 6 December (20:45 CET): VfB Stuttgart vs. BVB
A quick reunion with VfB Stuttgart: BVB only played away against the Swabians in the middle of November and suffered a 2-1 loss in the Bundesliga. Now it is time for the two teams to go head-to-head again in the DFB-Pokal round of 16. The two teams have faced off five times in the competition to date, including three matches in Stuttgart and two in Dortmund. The Black & Yellows have won three of the cup clashes, including the most recent one in February 2016 when BVB won 3-1 away in the quarter-final.

Saturday 9 December (18:30 CET): BVB vs. Rasenballsport Leipzig
A visit from the table neighbours. BVB are currently in fourth position with 24 points, with Leipzig currently in fifth place with a point fewer. The side from Saxony have played seven previous games in Dortmund, with BVB winning four of them (one draw, two defeats). Marco Reus and Emre Can both scored the goals in a 2-1 victory in their latest meeting in March.

Wednesday 13 December (21:00 CET): BVB vs. Paris Saint-Germain
On Wednesday evening, BVB prematurely qualified for the UEFA Champions League round of 16 courtesy of a 3-1 victory in Milan. The Black & Yellows top the group with 10 points, followed by Paris Saint-Germain in second place on seven points. The match at SIGNAL IDUNA PARK will be a battle for top spot in the group: BVB will go through to the last 16 in top spot if they win or draw. PSG need to win in order to overtake Borussia.

Saturday 16 December (15:30 CET): FC Augsburg vs. BVB
The start of October was the end of the road in Augsburg for Enrico Maaßen, who had previously coached the BVB U23s. After their loss in Darmstadt, FCA had dropped down to 15th place in the table. Jess Thorup subsequently took over and started off with two wins (against Heidenheim and Wolfsburg). With six games now under his belt, his record stands at three wins and three draws with Augsburg now up to 10th position.

Tuesday 19 December (20:30 CET): BVB vs. 1. FSV Mainz 05
There has also already been a change of coach at 1. FSV Mainz 05 this season. Following a run of 10 games without a win in all competitions, which saw the club drop down to the foot of the table and face elimination from the cup at the hands of second-tier Hertha BSC, Bo Svensson resigned at the start of November. The team have since been coached by former Mainz U23 coach Jan Siewert, who also has a BVB connection: he was in charge of the Black & Yellow U23s between 2017 and 2019. In their three games under Siewert to date, Mainz have picked up one win and two draws.
Christina Reinke