M. Gräfe
90'
+ 1
REUS LAMENTS "CATASTROPHIC" PERFORMANCE
Marco Reus wore the captain's armband for Dortmund this evening, but this is not a game he will look back on with any relish whatsoever. "We played catastrophically, defended catastrophically...I honestly can't explain it. We created no pressure and Bayern were much better, we just have to accept that. But we also have to be brutal in analysing what went wrong for us. Obviously playing up front isn't my favourite position, but at the end of the day that makes no difference. You still have to turn up and compete, and as a collective we didn't do that."
90'
+ 1
MORE FROM DELANEY
"It's hard to say what the exact difference was. They were physically, mentally, tactically better than us, everything... We just got schooled - that's it."
90'
+ 1
MARTINEZ HAILS LEWANDOWSKI
"He's amazing, one of the best in the world", says one of Bayern's goalscorers of another. "Every year he scores more than 20 goals and that's so difficult. Congrats to my team-mate, he's such a good player. Hopefully more goals are coming and he can help us to the Bundesliga title."
90'
+ 1
HUMMELS: "THATS WHAT THE FANS WANT TO SEE"
Here's goalscorer Mats Hummels: "Before the game we said that we wanted to attack the game and make sure we showed people it was a home game, which was what we didn't do against Liverpool here. That's what we want to see and what anyone connected with Bayern wants to see. We knew the focus had to be on keeping them from scoring and dominating the game ourselves, and we managed to do that."
90'
+ 1
FAVRE: "ITS GOING TO BE HARD":
Here's more from the Dortmund coach: "Bayern played with great rhythm and scored their goals at the moves at the right time. My tactical choices? After the match, it's easy to say they were not a good idea, but I don't know if it would have been better with another tactical plan. Now we have to focus on our next match against Mainz. But if we play like today, it's going to be hard, we need to be clear about that. The game is done and we can't change anything. We need to look ahead because we have six tough matches to come."
90'
+ 1
KOVAC DELIGHTED
"We were excellent for 90 minutes today, but the first half was sensational," says Bayern coach Niko Kovac. "We hemmed them in, pressed high and won a lot of important balls. That performance needs to be the standard for us now. After the Freiburg and Heidenheim matches we looked at what we did well and what we didn't do well and tried to put that right. Today we showed everything that I want and expect from the team, and what we did at the beginning of the season. We could and should have won by a bigger margin."
90'
+ 1
FAVRE: "THEY TAUGHT US A LESSON"
"Bayern were much better tonight," says the BVB coach."This is a hard defeat to digest, but they defeinitely deserved it." More quotes as soon as they come in.
90'
+ 1
DELANEY PULLS NO PUNCHES
BVB's Thomas Delaney is not mincing any words after the game. "We got schooled in the first half," he tells Fox Soccer. Meanwhile, Dortmund's official Twitter account promises the team will " bounce back stronger and keep on fighting ".
90'
+ 1
BAYERN BACK ON TOP
A chastening evening comes to an end for BVB as the referee blows the final whistle. The hosts go top with six games to play and, perhaps crucially, have a goal difference advantage of +14 over BVB, as well as that one-point lead. It was +5 at kick-off this evening.
90'
+ 1
MORE HISTORY FOR LEWANDOWSKI
201 Bundesliga goals for Lewandowski, who now has 15 goals in Bundesliga Klassikers, one more than the great Gerd Müller. The Pole is a goalscoring phenomenon.
Full-time
90'
+ 1
BACK UNDERWAY
Zagadou is off and on comes Julian Weigl to try and add some stability to BVB's game. Can they attempt a comeback?
87'
TITLE RACE CHECK-IN
We're approaching full-time so let's take another look at what this result means for the title race. Dortmund will be a point behind with six games to go, but it's likely they'll have to win all six matches and their run-in includes some tricky ones like Schalke at home and Bremen and Gladbach away.
81'
LEWANDOWSKI SHOOTS OVER
Good work from Gnabry and Joshua Kimmich ends with a driven cross into the box. It's met by Lewandowski but he can only divert the ball over the bar.
80'
Substitution
77'
Substitution
69'
Substitution
68'
Substitution
65'
HUMMELS STEAMING THROUGH....
...but the pass from Lewandowski is too heavy and Bürki collects. Yes, that's central defender Mats Hummels who was the furthest man forward as Bayern counter-attacked after Götze had seen a half-volley blocked. A sign of how the game has gone.
62'
DORTMUND GOING THROUGH THE MOTIONS
Borussia simply look shell-shocked after that first half. Dahoud tries to play Reus in but the latter is offside, and Dahoud is soon withdrawn for the former Bayern man Mario Götze. Bayern are yet to make a change but could well cause more damage when they do, with the likes of James Rodriguez, Franck Ribery and Leon Goretzka in reserve.
62'
Substitution
53'
GNABRY MISCUES
Bayern begin the second half in the same way they ended the first: winning corners. Thiago delivers one to the back post where Gnabry meets it, but he doesn't strike it cleanly and a good chance for 5-0 is wasted.
49'
A ONE-SIDED AFFAIR
To underline even more how dominant Bayern have been, how about this for a statistic: Hummels alone has had four efforts more on goal than the entire BVB team.
46'
Substitution
Kick-off!
Half-time
45'
THE PERFECT DAY - FOR THE CHAMPIONS
Bayern are in dreamland here. They're going back to the top of the table with a one-point lead over BVB, but they're also tanking up the confidence levels for the season run-in. For Dortmund, everything that could have gone wrong has gone wrong, and Lucien Favre's beleaguered players need to make sure this likely defeat does not affect the rest of their campaign too adversely.
44'
GAME OVER? VERY PROBABLY
Bayern are scything through Borussia and Serge Gnabry has a fourth goal, heading past Bürki from Müller's cross. The Bavarians are roaring back to the top of the Bundesliga table tonight and will surely have the advantage in the title race.
42'
GAME OVER?
Dortmund are being run ragged here. After Zagadou is booked for a foul on Lewandowski, the resulting free-kick sees Thomas Müller thwarted by Bürki, but Javi Martinez is on hand to guide the follow-up into the corner. The home side are playing like they have a point to prove here, but BVB are sinking fast.
32'
HUMMELS AGAIN!
For the third time in the opening half-hour, Hummels wins a header at a corner and Bürki is alive to divert the ball behind. From that corner, the ball is cleared and Niklas Süle blasts over. Dortmund need more robustness when defending these set-pieces, with Hummels especially having the freedom of a running jump time and again.
28'
DORTMUND IN BIG TROUBLE
This is probably the worst start the away side could have hoped for, missing a golden early chance and conceding two soft goals. Their recent league record on this ground doesn't inspire much confidence in a comeback either: BVB have lost their last four Bundesliga matches here by an aggregate score of 17-3.
22'
STAT ATTACK
As well as his 200th Bundesliga goal, Lewandowski now has 20 for the season in the Bundesliga and sits, naturally, atop the scoring charts.
22'
BÜRKI SAVES BVB!
The visitors are 2-0 down but it could be far worse! Lewandowski fires in a low effort that's bound for the far corner before the Swiss palms it behind for a corner, from which he makes another save! Dortmund need to settle down, but will Bayern let them? They're rampant right now.
18'
DOUBLE HUNDRED FOR LEWANDOWSKI!
200 Bundesliga goals for the Polish goal machine, and it's a brilliantly finished goal! Dan Axel-Zagadou takes an almighty risk by attempting a square pass to Manuel Akanji and Lewandowski intercepts. He seizes onto it, lifts the ball over the onrushing Bürki and then acrobatically volleys into an unguarded net!
14'
BAYERN ON TOP
This early press from Bayern is reaping dividends, as they re-claim possession and Dahoud gives a free-kick away in a dangerous position. Thiago curls it in and Roman Bürki beats it clear, before Kinsgley Coman sends a pea-roller wide of the post. Incidentally, that goal was the 15th Bayern have scored in the opening 15 minutes of a game this season.
10'
HUMMELS MAKES NO MISTAKE!
Dortmund were warned inside two minutes and now they've paid the price. Hummels again leaps high at a corner and glances home the opener. The fans go wild and Bayern strike first blood, moments after that costly miss from Dahoud. Just what the home side needed!
7'
DAHOUD HITS THE POST!
What a chance for Dortmund to take the lead! It's a brilliant move down the left as Jacob Bruun Larsen releases Reus, and the BVB skipper pulls it back to the penalty spot for Mahmoud Dahoud to meet it. Meet it he does with a side-foot finish... but it strikes the base of the post and goes out for a goal kick! Bayern were opened up completely there, and Manuel Neuer was beaten had the shot been on targe!
2'
EARLY DRAMA!
A corner for the hosts, Thiago swings it in and Mats Hummels, a former Bundesliga winner with Dortmund, glances a header just wide! Moments later, Robert Lewandowski goes down in the box but is eased off it by Abdou Diallo. That was a poor first touch from the Pole.
1'
Were underway in Munich!
The 100th Bundesliga meeting between Bayern and Dortmund has begun! Hold on to your hats everyone!
Kick-off!
FREUND: "BAYERN WILL PRESS HIGH - THEY HAVE TO"
Former Dortmund midfielder Steffen Freund, speaking to BT Sport, is expecting an exciting match toda, a game in which the circumstances may favour the visitors. "Alcacer is injured and Götze is on the bench so there's no striker on the pitch for Dortmund, and remember they don't have to win the game. Bayern will press high as they're at home and they have to win, and Dortmund will surely play on the counter attack."
TWO STRONG SIDES
We're all set for what promises to be a titanic battle between the two best teams in Germany. Bayern have options from the bench in James Rodriguez and Franck Ribery, while Dortmund have former Bayern man Mario Götze in reserve. How big a miss will super-sub Paco Alcacer be for BVB? We'll find out soon enough.
GÖTZE AMONG THE SUBS
Bürki – Piszcek, Akanji, Zagadou, Diallo – Witsel, Delaney – Sancho, Dahoud, Bruun Larsen – Reus (c)
JAMES ON THE BENCH
Neuer (c) – Kimmich, Süle, Hummels, Alaba – Martinez, Thiago – Gnabry, Müller, Coman – Lewandowski
TEAMS ARE IN!
Get ready for the starting XIs - there are one or two surprises...
SPECTACULAR KLASSIKER SETS THE TONE
Flashback to 10 November 2018 and the corresponding fixtire between these teams. If we are to have even half of the excitement that was produced on that Autumn evening today then we are in for a treat. Leading 1-0 at half-time thanks to Robert Lewandowski's opener, Bayern were pegged back by Marco Reus shortly after the restart. Both players exchanged goals once again before Paco Alcacer settled it with a 73rd-minute winner.
GORETZKA PUMPED FOR KLASSIKER
Leon Goretzka wasn't holding back when he described Der Klassiker as, "The biggest game of the season," the Bayern midfielder even adding, "The whole of Germany is waiting for it." With the hosts eager to overhaul Dortmund in the standings, Goretzka insisted, "We're all pumped for this match; you join a club like this to play such games. Of course we want to win [and] I’m 100 per cent convinced we’ll put in a top performance.”
GUERREIRO FORM AN ASSET TO BVB
Having brought his Bundesliga tally up to 18 appearances for the campaign to date in last week's 2-0 win against Wolfsburg, Dortmund's Raphael Guerreiro once again displayed his versatility in helping out the cause. The 25-year-old UEFA EURO 2016 winner with Portugal even told BVB.de that he is in the form of his life. " I don't actually think I'm playing at the same level as 2016, I feel even better now," Guerreiro explained. "I'm realising how I can help my team on the pitch in a way that I couldn't do before."
THE VIEW FROM AFAR
It was interesting to catch the BBC's European football expert Guillem Balague's take on Der Klassiker, with the Spaniard seemingly convinced today's hosts will prove to strong for BVB. "[Niko] Kovac has found a way of playing now that makes [Bayern] solid," Balague said. "When they start scoring, they don't stop scoring. Plus, they have the momentum with them."
BIG NAMES SET FOR RETURN
After missing Bayern's 1-1 draw against Freiburg with an injury last weekend, goalkeeper Manuel Neuer is expected to be back between the posts for Der Klassiker. The 33-year-old will be eager to keep what would be a tenth clean sheet of this Bundesliga season. Meanwhile, Dortmund's Marco Reus - involved in 23 goals in 22 league outings for BVB this term - is also due back having recently become a father for the first time.
HIGH PRAISE FOR SLICK SANCHO
And while we're speaking of Jadon Sancho, Dortmund and Bayern coaching legend Ottmar Hitzfeld had his say on the 19-year-old talent this week. "He's a gifted player, very fast, technically perfect, he always has a trick up his sleeve. He reminds me of a young Franck Ribery, who was also very tricky and going for goal as a young player," the seven-time Bundesliga-winning tactician enthused.
ASSIST KINGS ADD TO REGAL SPECTACLE
Among the many fascinating facets of today's game, the battle to be crowned Klassiker assist king is high on the list. In the Black and Yellow corner will be Jadon Sancho, the Londoner who leads the way in Europe with a massive 13 Bundesliga assists and a cool eight top-flight goals. In royal red, it's Joshua Kimmich, the man-footballing machine who has amassed ten assists thus far.
FIFA PREDICTS BIG-GAME DRAW
Too impatient to wait for kick-off, we sat back to watch the big EA Sports pre-game prediction play out on FIFA and we just about had our Klassiker fix satiated. Robert Lewandowski set a high standard early on with an overhead kick from outside the box before Javi Martínez opened the scoring with a belter of a strike. Dan-Axel Zagadou's late equaliser earned BVB a 1-1 draw.
SALIHAMIDZIC: "WERE GOING TO WIN"
Bayern Munich's sporting director Hasan Salihamidzic believes his side will underline that they are the top team in Germany today. "We're going to win and prove that we rightly have claim to winning the Bundesliga," he told ZDF. "A win would show that Bayern are a benchmark of German football."
A LONG WAY TO GO - GÖTZE
A colossal game at a crucial stage of the season, Der Klassiker arrives with Bundesliga fans on the edge of their seats with title fever. Yet while we mere mortals sweat over the prospect of one of the biggest fixtures on the footballing calendar, Dortmund dynamo Mario Götze insists that whatever else happens at the Allianz Arena today, no titles will be won. "I do see it as an important game but it won’t be a decisive one," he said. "There are seven important matches to go."
BAYERN NEED TO SHOW QUALITIES - ALABA
"We know who we are, we know our qualities and we want to show these so that we win," said Bayern full-back David Alaba on his club's website. "When you're not on top there's obviously pressure – we all know that, and that's why we want the three points."
PACO TO PLAY?
Dortmund are hopeful their 16-goal hitman Paco Alcacer will be passed fit to play, but the man with the best rate of goals in Europe's top leagues this season – with one every 60 minutes – is still a slight doubt. "There is a chance he'll be fit for Saturday," said Favre, keeping his cards close to his chest. "It's hard to say right now who will definitely be out," added the Swiss coach on Friday.
VERY SPECIAL KLASSIKER
The Klassiker is always a special game and the anniversary edition is no different – not just because it is the 100 th . "Given the league situation, it's going to be a special game," said Dortmund coach Lucien Favre. "It's Bayern against Dortmund..." Not since these two sides met in the UEFA Champions League final in 2013 has the significance of this fixture been this high.
STRONG DEFENCE NEEDED
Kovac will be needing a strong defence today, against a side who have scored 66 goals in the Bundesliga this season - just three fewer than his own side, but more than anybody else in the top flight. With that in mind, who's not expecting goals today?
STILL LEARNING
Bayern coach Niko Kovac says his team are still learning the way he wants them to play, but that it is only normal for things not to fall into place overnight. "When you've got kids, then once is not enough – you always need to repeat things over and over. I've been repeating the same thing from day one, but it's got to sink in. Some understand sooner than others." Including the four goals conceded in the DFB Cup on Wednesday, Bayern have shipped 43 in 40 games this season.
WELCOME ALONG!
There are no prizes for guessing where all eyes in the Bundesliga and beyond will be turned this evening! Der Klassiker between Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund is always a huge game - but the fact that the two sides are battling it out for this season's title will add plenty of extra spice to this Matchday 28 meeting at the Allianz Arena. Stay with us throughout the afternoon as we build up to a clash that could potentially decide who will be lifting the Meisterschale in May!
Welcome along to the match centre for the game FC Bayern vs. Dortmund from matchday 28 of the 2018/19 Bundesliga season at the Allianz Arena. Check back here for full information on the match.