Football is finally back since COVID-19 erupted as the Bundesliga kicks off tomorrow. The first match in the entire German football lineup is none other than the Revierderby, Borussia Dortmund taking on Schalke in their 180th derby meeting.
This will be the first time when the derby will be played behind closed doors. It will be really a strange affair to see Dortmund play without the yellow wall.
The fixture also holds paramount importance as the German Bundesliga title race is a very tight one. The top five teams are separated by a meagre difference of eight points, which is the closest in Europe’s top leagues.
Why Borussia Dortmund May Struggle Against Schalke
Key Players Missing for Borussia Dortmund
The Black and Yellow are without their midfield trio of Axel Witsel, Marco Reus and Emre Can. This is a big blow to the club as this creates instability in the centre of the park for the Germans.
The suspensions mean that Thomas Delaney and Julian Brandt will likely start for Dortmund. Even though the duo are an influential pair, they are far from experienced compared to the likes of Witsel and Can.
Schalke could really grab the opportunity of winning the game in the midfield tomorrow.
Schalke’s Weapons – Daniel Caligiuri and Amine Harit
There is no player in both lineups combined who has more goal contributions in the Revierderby than Daniel Caligiuri. The right-winger has scored four goals in six matches against Dortmund and will be the player to watch tomorrow.
On the other flank, 22-year-old Amine Harit is another player who Dortmund will need to contain. The winger has more Bundesliga goals this season than any of his team-mates. He has scored six goals and provided four assists.
If Dortmund are to have any success in this game, they will have to keep Caligiuri and Harit off the ball as much as possible.
Without the Yellow Wall
Liverpool‘s Anfield and Dortmund’s Signal Iduna Park are two venues in Europe which are known for their haunting atmosphere for the opposition. But tomorrow, Signal Iduna Park will be empty.
It will be interesting to see how the German club copes without their famous home support. It will be an unusual atmosphere for the players and may impact their game psychologically.
Nevertheless, the return of German football will surely bring a lot of boost to the entire continent struggling with the pandemic.
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