Borussia Dortmund vs. RB Leipzig: 5 rivalry-defining match-ups
Borussia Dortmund’s clash with RB Leipzig on Saturday (kick-off: 6.30pm CET) is the 19th meeting between two of Germany’s heavyweight clubs. The rivalry has developed over its short history, with encounters between the two often crucial in deciding places at the top of the table and the latter stages of the DFB Cup. Here, bundesliga.com takes a look back at five of the most memorable head-to-heads...
1. The first meeting: RB Leipzig 1-0 Borussia Dortmund, 10 September 2016
Following’s the club’s foundation in 2009, Leipzig flew up the leagues and, after four promotions in seven seasons, they found themselves amongst the country’s elite. After a 2-2 draw away at Hoffenheim in their opening Bundesliga fixture, Die Roten Bullen welcomed Dortmund to the Red Bull Arena on Matchday 2.
While The Black-Yellows were no longer the Jürgen Klopp-vintage, Thomas Tuchel’s men were still the second-best team in Germany behind the all-conquering Bayern Munich, finishing 18 points above third as they ended up second in 2015/16.
Therefore Dortmund, led by Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang but without the injured Marco Reus, were heavy favourites to pick up all three points. However, despite having considerably less possession than their more illustrious opponents, Leipzig prevailed late on courtesy of substitute Naby Keïta’s close-range tap-in.
That victory came in the midst of a 13-match unbeaten league run to start the campaign, a streak which saw them move to the top of the table. Ultimately, they were unable to maintain that pace, but were still worthy runners-up behind Bayern as they announced their arrival in the Bundesliga in style.
Watch: Leipzig 1-0 Dortmund - highlights
2. Dortmund assert their authority: Borussia Dortmund 4-1 RB Leipzig, 26 August 2018
In the early stages of this rivalry, that initial Leipzig win proved to be something of an anomaly. As the Saxony outfit got to the grips with the top tier, Dortmund lost just one of the next 10 meetings, winning seven and drawing two. Their convincing victory in the 2018/19 curtain-raiser underlined their superiority.
The visitors did net an early goal via Jean-Kévin Augustin, but it was one-way traffic from then on. Midway through the half, Mahmoud Dahoud struck the equaliser prior to future Dortmund midfielder Marcel Sabitzer’s own-goal.
There was still time for an Axel Witsel effort before the conclusion of the first half, a strike that knocked the stuffing out of Leipzig. They were unable to find a way back into the game, and Reus eventually put the game beyond doubt in the first minute of injury-time.
That was the beginning of an impressive but heartbreaking season for Dortmund, as they finished just two points behind Bayern in their quest to end the Bavarians’ six-year Meisterschale dominance. Leipzig, meanwhile, were 10 points further back in third.
Watch: Dortmund 4-1 Leipzig - highlights
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3. An entertaining draw: Borussia Dortmund 3-3 RB Leipzig, 17 December 2019
While the sample size is admittedly small, it is still unusual that just two games between Dortmund and Leipzig have finished in a draw. One of those came on the penultimate matchday of the 2019/20 Hinrunde. The teams entered the clash with a title race slowly simmering, as league-leaders Leipzig visited the home of third-placed BVB.
Looking to stamp their authority in front of their own supporters, Dortmund quickly established a two-goal lead courtesy of goals from Julians Weigl and Brandt. Playing for the opposition, though, was the red-hot Timo Werner, who had scored a stunning 10 goals in his previous six Bundesliga matches prior to this encounter - he added another two to his tally to restore parity.
Jadon Sancho, too, was an up-and-coming Bundesliga star back then, and his effort shortly after the restart put Dortmund in front once more. Nevertheless, Lucien Favre’s outfit were unable to hold on, with Patrik Schick finding the back of the net as the game approached its climax.
The only other sharing of the spoils between these two sides came on Matchday 25 of the 2017/18 term, when they played out a 1-1 draw in Leipzig.
Watch: Dortmund 3-3 Leipzig - highlights
4. The DFB Cup final: Borussia Dortmund 4-1 RB Leipzig, 13 May 2021
The first Cup meeting came in 2021, when Dortmund played Leipzig in the showpiece at Berlin’s Olympiastadion. While the Signal Iduna Park club had won the trophy four times previously, Leipzig were still looking for their first piece of major silverware, and their lack of experience on the biggest stage showed.
In front of an empty stadium as Germany continued to struggle with the effects of COVID-19, Dortmund ran riot, inspired by the irresistible Sancho and Erling Haaland - the Englishman and Norwegian scored two apiece.
Leipzig could only muster a second-half Dani Olmo goal in response, even if they saw the lion’s share of the ball as Dortmund made the most of their counter-attacking prowess. As soon as Sancho broke the deadlock inside five minutes, the destination of the trophy was never really in doubt.
Although this was a crushing defeat for Leipzig, they soon had their redemption, standing on top of the podium in each of the next two cup editions.
5. A turning of the tide: RB Leipzig 4-1 Borussia Dortmund, 27 April 2024
Since that showdown, Leipzig have generally had Dortmund’s number. They have won six of the last seven matches against the Ruhr team, scoring at least twice in each and at three or more on four occasions.
The last match-up, on Matchday 31 of the 2023/24 season, ended in Leipzig’s biggest margin of victory in this fixture. Sancho, now back on loan at Dortmund from Manchester United, scored the opener, yet unlike in 2021, Leipzig had all the answers.
Led by the formidable strike duo of Loïs Openda and Benjamin Šeško – both of whom got themselves on the scoresheet – and coached by ex-Dortmund man Marco Rose, Leipzig scored four, with Mohamad Simakan and Christoph Baumgartner grabbing the other two.
Dortmund may have had more than one eye on their UEFA Champions League run by that stage of the campaign, but this result was just further confirmation that Leipzig had become their Kryptonite. Whether they can change that at the weekend remains to be seen.
Watch: Leipzig 4-1 Dortmund - highlights
How do Dortmund and Leipzig compare ahead of their Matchday 9 meeting?
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