The biggest fixture on the calendar in the Ruhr region takes pride of place on Matchday 26 as Erling Haaland's Borussia Dortmund look for more than just local bragging rights against Weston McKennie's Schalke (kick-off 3:30pm CEST/2:30pm BST/9:30am ET).
This match would normally have over 80,000 pairs of eyes trained on it from inside the Signal Iduna Park, but with the cautious return to play in face of coronavirus, many millions more will be watching worldwide. Dortmund are looking to keep up the chase of Bayern Munich at the top of the Bundesliga. One man viewers at home should keep a particular eye on is Haaland, whose goalscoring heroics since arriving in North Rhine-Westphalia in the winter transfer window have been the stuff of legend. Together with Jadon Sancho, who is already on 15 assists for the season, Dortmund boast one of the most fearsome attacks in world football, and that is even with captain Marco Reus still sidelined with a thigh injury. They are slightly shorthanded in midfield, however, with Axel Witsel and Emre Can both picking up injuries since the return to training.
Schalke may be tempted look at Dortmund's attack without any undue concern, however, aware that the Revierderby has its own rules, and that they do not always follow the form book. In fact, David Wagner's men will look to tear it up altogether at their local rivals this Saturday, having not won in the Bundesliga since beating Borussia Mönchengladbach 2-0 on 17 January. England U21 cap Jonjoe Kenny will look to extend his impressive personal record of never being on the losing side in a derby, Merseyside or Revierderby, while Wagner will be expecting big things from Weston McKennie, who impressed with his second goal of the season in a 1-1 draw with Hoffenheim before the break in play. Central defenders Benjamin Stambouli and Salif Sane are back in training following injuries, although neither is expected to start.

Match stats

  • Dortmund won seven of their first eight Rückrunde matches. The last time they did that, they won the title (2011/12).
  • Before the break, BVB had won four Bundesliga games in a row for the first time this season. A fifth would represent their 800th three-point haul of the Bundesliga era.
  • Haaland and Sancho have scored more Bundesliga goals in 2020 (nine and five respectively) than the entire Schalke team (four).
  • Seven Bundesliga matches is Schalke’s longest winless run under Wagner (D4, L3). It’s also the longest current run of any Bundesliga club.
  • However, the Royal Blues have lost only one of their last eight derby meetings with Dortmund (W2, D5).
  • Amine Harit has had a hand in more Bundesliga goals than any other Schalke player this season (six goals, four assists), but hasn’t scored in 13 or assisted in 10.

Probable line-ups

Dortmund: Bürki - Piszczek (c), Hummels, Akanji - Hakimi, Brandt, Delaney, Guerreiro - Sancho, Haaland, Hazard
Out: Can (muscular), Reus (thigh), Schulz (muscular), Witsel (groin), Zagadou (knee)
Doubtful: Schmelzer (muscular)
Coach: Lucien Favre
Schalke: Schubert - Kenny, Todibo, Nastasic, Oczipka (c) - Caligiuri, McKennie, Serdar - Harit - Burgstaller, Raman
Out: Kabak (back), Mascarell (groin), Stambouli (match fitness)
Doubtful: -
Coach: David Wagner