Klassiker: Danks in charge as Bayern host Dortmund with the table level
Only goal difference separates Bayern and Borussia Dortmund before Saturday's 18:30 WAT clash at the Allianz Arena. Vincent Kompany remains out; Aaron Danks leads Bayern.
By Emily · 29 Oct 2026, 07:55 WAT
Bayern Munich host Borussia Dortmund in the first Klassiker of the 2026/27 Bundesliga season at the Allianz Arena on Saturday 31 October. Kick-off is 18:30 CET, which is 18:30 WAT, according to the Bundesliga.
Only goal difference separates the two clubs after seven matchdays. Bayern have scored 25 league goals, including a record 18 at home at this stage of a campaign, while Dortmund have conceded only four — fewer than any other side — and lead the clean-sheet chart with five, the Bundesliga reports. Last season Bayern already led Dortmund by four points before the first Klassiker and opened a 16-point gap by May; this year the race is level.
Vincent Kompany will not be in the dugout. The Bayern head coach was discharged from hospital on 28 October after treatment for meningeal irritation and remains away from the touchline with no return date set, Sport1 and the Guardian reported. Assistant coach Aaron Danks, who led Bayern's 6-1 DFB-Pokal win over Magdeburg, takes charge again.
Bundesliga probable teams list Manuel Neuer as captain, with Laimer, Upamecano, Tah and Nathaniel Brown in defence, Kimmich and Pavlović in midfield, and Olise, Karl and Gnabry behind Harry Kane. Luis Díaz is out with a muscular problem and Abdallah Ndiaye is out after an appendix operation. Jamal Musiala is doubtful with a hamstring issue. Dayot Upamecano has started every Bundesliga game this season and is unbeaten in his last 51 league appearances for Bayern, the Bundesliga says.
Dortmund, under Niko Kovač, are projected with Kobel; Gadou, Anton and Schlotterbeck (captain); Ryerson, Jude Bellingham, Nmecha and Svensson; Sabitzer and Beier; and Guirassy. Emre Can (knee), Konstantinos Karetsas (foot), Giannis Konstantelias (knee) and Jefferson Lerma (muscular) are out; Maximilian Meyer is doubtful with illness. Serhou Guirassy has two league goals but four in three Champions League games. Michael Olise leads Bayern's scoring with six league goals and three assists.
Kobel has not won any of his 10 Bundesliga games against Bayern. Nico Schlotterbeck has won 67 percent of his duels since returning from a World Cup injury, the Bundesliga notes. The fixture is Matchday 8; Elversberg host Mainz on Friday evening before the rest of Saturday's programme.
Sources: www.bundesliga.com · www.bundesliga.com · www.sport1.de · www.theguardian.com
