The Japan Times - Dortmund host new nemesis Stuttgart with title hopes slipping away

Appointed Dortmund coach with the club flailing last January, Kovac steadied the ship, pushing his side to claim 22 of a possible 24 points to sneak into Champions League qualification.

The performance led to whispers Dortmund may be able to mount a title challenge this campaign, 14 years since the last time they lifted the shield.

But this year, Dortmund already sit seven points behind Bayern Munich with just 10 games played.

Kovac's side are once again dropping points far too easily, against good sides and bad.

Against strugglers St Pauli and Hamburg, Dortmund conceded late equalisers away from home.

Against ambitious sides who share Dortmund's expectations -- Bayern and RB Leipzig -- the 2024 Champions League finalists have come up short.

Dortmund sit third, level on points with Stuttgart but ahead on goal difference.

Stuttgart were in the second division as recently as 2019-20, but they have had the better of Dortmund in recent seasons.

Under Sebastian Hoeness, named Stuttgart coach in April 2023, Stuttgart are unbeaten against Dortmund, winning five and drawing once.

Dortmund poached Stuttgart's star striker Serhou Guirassy and captain Waldemar Anton in 2024, but the negative record continues.

Hoeness told reporters on Thursday: "I like playing against Dortmund, you're playing against a top team. It's fun -- but I didn't actually know the record was so good.

"Playing in Dortmund is one of the most challenging matches you can get in the Bundesliga."

Elsewhere, Bayern Munich will hope to rebound from dropping points for the first time in any competition at Union Berlin last matchday when they host Freiburg on Saturday.

Also on Saturday, 2024 title winners Bayer Leverkusen travel to floundering Wolfsburg, while second-placed RB Leipzig play at home against Werder Bremen on Sunday.

One to watch: Danilho Doekhi (Union Berlin)

In their last Bundesliga game, defender Doekhi and his Union Berlin side did something nobody in Europe has managed to do this season -- take a point from Bayern Munich.

Doekhi scored twice as Union sealed a 2-2 draw with Bayern, and the Dutchman told AFP and other media on Wednesday his side may have found the secret remedy to stop the barnstorming Bayern.

"We were really aggressive," he said. "We know it's not easy to play in our stadium with our fans behind us and we tried to get them behind us from the first second.

"We won the duels and we not only defended, we were dangerous in some attacks. I think it worked out quite well."

The performance and Union's impressive record this season mean the side should not be dragged into any relegation battles this season, but Doekhi warned against complacency.

"The Bundesliga is a tough league," he said. "If you have a bad period, you can be at the bottom of the table. We have to be careful about that."

Key stats

13 - Harry Kane has 13 goals in 10 games so far this season. Three players, including Bayern teammate Luis Diaz, are next on the list with six.

7 - St Pauli have lost seven games in a row.

7 - In 10 league games, Dortmund have conceded just seven goals, but every time Kovac's side have conceded a goal, they have dropped points.

Fixtures (1430 GMT unless stated)

Friday

Mainz v Hoffenheim (1930)

Saturday

Heidenheim v Borussia Moenchengladbach, Borussia Dortmund v Stuttgart, Bayern Munich v Freiburg, Augsburg v Hamburg, Wolfsburg v Bayer Leverkusen, Cologne v Eintracht Frankfurt (1730)

Sunday

RB Leipzig v Werder Bremen, St Pauli v Union Berlin (1630)

S.Yamada--JT