The Japan Times - Old foes Bayern and Dortmund face off amid spectre of European exit

The clash, which has emerged as the Bundesliga's showpiece rivalry over the past 15 years since Dortmund won back-to-back titles under Jurgen Klopp, comes in the middle of both clubs' Champions League quarter-finals.

On Tuesday, an injury-decimated Bayern lost 2-1 at home against Inter Milan in the first leg.

In the second leg, Vincent Kompany's side will need to win by two goals to avoid extra time, or by one and hope to triumph on penalties.

The Bavarians can take hope their record at the San Siro against Inter: three wins and a draw in five games. The Milan stadium was also the scene of Bayern's 2001 Champions League final victory over Valencia.

The situation for Dortmund, Champions League finalists last season, is far more dire.

Niko Kovac's men were thumped 4-0 in Barcelona and will need to pull off one of the biggest turnarounds in Champions League history to reach the semi-finals.

Complicating matters for both Bayern and Dortmund is that there is still plenty at stake in the league.

With six games remaining, Bayern could be just three points clear of second-placed Bayer Leverkusen at kick-off, should Xabi Alonso's side beat Union Berlin earlier on Saturday.

Bayern cannot afford a slip against Dortmund. Leverkusen have won 14 of their past 18 games and have lost just once.

Wanting to keep their slim hopes of Champions League qualification alive, Dortmund will go to Munich to fight for every point.

Dortmund sit eighth, five points off the top four.

Fresh from the humbling in Barcelona, Kovac warned his side could expect more of the same on Saturday, saying "Bayern are on the same level as Barcelona. We need to do better defensively."

"A defeat is always a setback, but the Bundesliga is a different story. Bayern are fighting for the title and we know it will not be easy."

A slight glimmer of hope for Dortmund will be their 2-0 win in the same fixture last season, the first time they had won a league game in Munich since 2014.

Leverkusen's bid to chase down Bayern looks set for a timely boost, with Florian Wirtz expected to return from injury.

On Tuesday, Leverkusen sporting director Simon Rolfes told reporters Wirtz "will be fit to play this weekend, if nothing happens."

One player no doubt awaiting Wirtz's return is striker Patrik Schick. Eight of Schick's 17 league goals this season were set up by Wirtz, with the Czech only scoring once since the Germany midfielder went down with injury.

Player to watch: Benedict Hollerbach (Union Berlin)

Union Berlin forward Benedict Hollerbach could make a case as the player most responsible for his team's fortunes in the Bundesliga this season.

His eight goals and three assists in 28 games not only represent a solid return for a relegation-challenged club; they have been crucial in helping Union move away from the drop zone.

Hollerbach has scored the only goal in two 1-0 wins this season, including last Sunday against Wolfsburg, as well as the equaliser in 1-1 draws against Bayern Munich and Eintracht Frankfurt.

He scored and laid on an assist in a 2-1 win over Mainz in January and registered a brace in a 4-0 win over Hoffenheim.

The Berliners are not mathematically safe -- they're 11 points clear of the relegation playoff spot with six games remaining -- but if they do stay up, they will have Hollerbach to thank.

Key stats

10 - Bayern's Michael Olise has 10 league assists, equal top with Wirtz.

1 in 13 - Bayern have lost just one of their past 13 games against Dortmund in all competitions.

8 - Both promoted before the season, eight points separate 15th-placed St Pauli and Holstein Kiel, who are last. The two clash in Kiel on Saturday.

Fixtures (1330 GMT unless stated)

Friday

Wolfsburg v RB Leipzig (1830)

Saturday

Hoffenheim v Mainz, Borussia Moenchengladbach v Freiburg, Bochum v Augsburg, Bayer Leverkusen v Union Berlin, Holstein Kiel v St Pauli, Bayern Munich v Borussia Dortmund (1630)

Sunday

Stuttgart v Werder Bremen, Eintracht Frankfurt v Heidenheim (1530)

K.Okada--JT