The Japan Times - Leipzig host red-hot Dortmund with Champions League hopes slipping away

However, with Dortmund coach Robert Kovac facing an injury crisis in defence and Leipzig holding a recent hoodoo over the visitors, Ole Werner and his side could be cautiously optimistic.

Despite missing out on European football last season, Leipzig have not benefitted from their reduced workload this term and sit fifth in the league table, one point ahead of sixth-placed Bayer Leverkusen who have a game in hand.

After a strong start to the season, winning eight and losing just once in a 10-match run, Leipzig have struggled. The club have not won two league games in a row since early November and have won just three of their past 10 matches in all competitions.

Again missing out on Europe's top competition and the riches it brings would be a blow to the Red Bull-backed club, who have one of the most talented rosters in German football.

Dortmund, on the other hand, march into the fixture in great form. With only one league defeat this season, Dortmund have gone up a gear in 2026.

The 2024 Champions League finalists are on a six-match winning run in the Bundesliga and have drawn six points behind league leaders Bayern Munich, who were 11 points clear at Christmas.

It's not all plain-sailing though as Kovac confirmed Thursday Nico Schlotterbeck, Niklas Suele, Emre Can and Filippo Mane will not return on Saturday.

"We're not underestimating Leipzig, despite their recent results," Kovac said. "They play just once a week, can prepare everything and are fresh."

Indeed, recent history suggests the Bundesliga's form side can take nothing for granted when they travel to the Red Bull Arena.

Leipzig have won their past five home matches against Dortmund by a cumulative score of 13-2.

Since Erling Haaland and Jadon Sancho inspired Dortmund to victory over Leipzig in the 2021 German Cup final, Borussia have only won two of 10 games against the Red Bulls in all competitions.

Leipzig coach Werner promised Thursday that his side would do their part to ensure it was an entertaining fixture.

"We're not known for playing cautiously and we won't do that against Dortmund either," he said. "We have to be at our best at all times."

Elsewhere, leaders Bayern host Eintracht Frankfurt and Leverkusen could leapfrog Leipzig when they travel to Union Berlin on Saturday.

One to watch: Dayot Upamecano (Bayern Munich)

With the ink now dry on his four-year contract extension, Bayern Munich defender Dayot Upamecano has turned his full focus to his side's on-field ambitions.

With Bayern on top of the Bundesliga through to the Champions League last 16 and in the semi-finals of the German Cup, the France centre-back believes his side have every chance of winning the treble.

"This is what we want," Upamecano told the Bundesliga website on Thursday.

"We're taking it from game to game. We're focused on the game against Frankfurt. It's important we do that."

Key stats

4 - All four of Borussia Dortmund's goals against Mainz last matchday were assisted by Julian Ryerson.

3 - Bayern have taken the lead via a Harry Kane penalty in their last three matches.

6 - Dortmund's Serhou Guirassy has six goals in his past four games.

Fixtures (1430 GMT unless stated)

Friday

Mainz v Hamburg (1930)

Saturday

Wolfsburg v Augsburg, Union Berlin v Bayer Leverkusen, Bayern Munich v Eintracht Frankfurt, Cologne v Hoffenheim, RB Leipzig v Borussia Dortmund (1730)

Sunday

Freiburg v Borussia Moenchengladbach, St Pauli v Werder Bremen (1630), Heidenheim v Stuttgart (1830)

S.Fujimoto--JT