Tactics
BVB boss Edin Terzic, who was born just 25 kilometres from Dortmund’s Signal Iduna Park, began his scouting and coaching career at Borussia at just 27 years of age. After a successful stint at the helm during the 2020/21 campaign – which included victory in the DFB Cup final – he was reappointed as Dortmund’s head coach last summer.
Terzic usually sets his team out in a 4-2-3-1 system, with 19-year-old Jude Bellingham operating as a holding midfielder in front of the back four. Further up the pitch, Dortmund’s attacking quartet has a more youthful look to it since Marco Reus was sidelined by injury. Giovanni Reyna, Karim Adeyemi, Julian Brandt and Youssoufa Moukoko have an average age of 20.5 years.
Absentees
Makoto Hasebe (knee ligaments), Ansgar Knauff (thigh), Christopher Lenz (thigh) and Aurélio Buta are unavailable for Eintracht.
Borussia are also missing several players through illness and injury, with Sébastien Haller (testicular cancer), Mahmoud Dahoud (shoulder), Jamie Bynoe-Gittens (shoulder) and Thomas Meunier (fractured cheekbone) all sidelined. Reus, Bellingham and Raphael Guerreiro are doubts.
One to watch: Jude Bellingham
Bellingham is one of the most talented youngsters in the game. Uncompromising in defence and dangerous in attack, the Englishman was recently described by Terzic as “exceptional for his age”.
- Bellingham joined BVB from Birmingham City in summer 2020.
- He has played more minutes than any of his Borussia team-mates this season.
- He has won 17 caps for England since making his debut in November 2020.
Statistics and runs
Eintracht have collected 12 points from a possible 15 in their last five games, more than any other team in the league in that period. They have also found the net on 13 occasions – a tally matched only by Bayern.
The Eagles have scored in each of their past 12 Bundesliga home games against BVB.
Dortmund have lost their last three away games in Germany’s top flight.
Key battle: Evan Ndicka vs. Youssoufa Moukoko
Bellingham isn’t the only teenager to have caught the eye at Dortmund in recent weeks. Moukoko, 17, has registered two goals and three assists in his last six starts across all competitions – including the UEFA Champions League.
Dortmund’s prolific teenage striker is set to come up against the ever-present Evan Ndicka this weekend. The Eintracht centre-back should have the upper hand over Moukoko in the air – the Dortmund player is 13 centimetres shorter than the Frenchman – but he will have to be at the top of his game to outpace the agile youngster in one-on-one situations.