Why Der Klassiker is still Germany's biggest game

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It's that instantly recognisable sight of Bayern red and Dortmund black and yellow combining against the backdrop of a brilliant green pitch that sets pulses racing across the footballing world. Over the years it has become one of the globe's must-see fixtures, and this time around that will be no different as the record Bundesliga champions visit their long-standing rivals on what looks certain to be one more memorable sporting occasion.

With 32 Bundesliga titles, Bayern are way out on their own as the most successful club in Germany. Dortmund, though, come in joint-second with five alongside Borussia Mönchengladbach and, since the start of the 1990s, have almost always been the team posing Bayern their biggest threat.

Watch: Thomas Müller on "long rivalry" with Dortmund

In fact, since the country’s reunification in 1991, only five other teams have finished a term on the top step of the podium, with Bayern and BVB winning 26 of the 33 titles since. They have also shared 15 DFB Cups across the same period and, alongside Hamburg, are two of the three German teams to conquer European football. Dortmund lifted the UEFA Champions League in 1997 and Bayern did so in 1974, 1975, 1976, 2001, 2013 and 2020.

 "It's Der Klassiker; I like that it's importance gives these games a special build-up," Vincent Kompany said in the build-up ahead of his first experience of the fixture as Bayern Munich coach. "We're looking forward to a real battle against Bayern," BVB goalkeeper Greogor Kobel added as the game everyone is waiting for drew ever closer. 

Quiz: Are you a Klassiker expert?

Given these teams' respective consistency, it stands to reason that match-ups can often feel decisive. After all, Dortmund have finished as runners-up in seven of Bayern’s recent 11 consecutive title triumphs, while Bayern had to make do with second spot in 2011/12 as Dortmund triumphed. With both holding ambitions to dethrone champions Bayer Leverkusen this term, that feeling of peril is no less pronounced this early into the campaign. 

Bayern’s 3-1 victory on home soil on Matchday 31 of 2021/22, as well as their 1-0 Matchday 28 away win two seasons prior, were effectively the final nail in their rivals’ title coffin. Meanwhile, Dortmund’s narrow 1-0 success on Matchday 30 in 2011/12 gave them a six-point buffer going into the final four matches, a gap Bayern couldn’t close.

Then there's instances like in the 2022/23 deciding final weekend of the season when Dortmund were cruelly denied the title in the dying moments by Bayern's late victory over Cologne.

Watch: Decision day in the 2022/23 title race - relived

Everyone involved knows the historical importance of this clash and fans of both teams will be desperate for their team to prevail, especially as this time around, Dortmund are playing catch-up in the table while Bayern are looking to prolong their early-season dominance at the top.

Not only do these two dominate in terms of trophies, they have fanbases that are unrivalled across the country. Dortmund boast Germany’s biggest stadium, with the Signal Iduna Park holding a capacity of 81,365, while the Allianz Arena comes in second place with 75,024.

It's a similar case in terms of membership, only with the roles reversed. Over 316,000 members makes Bayern the second biggest sports club in the world behind only Argentina’s River Plate, while Dortmund sit fifth on the list with just shy of 190,000.

This match doesn’t just attract attention domestically, either, but also across the world, with both outfits having fan clubs in all four corners of the globe. When thinking of some of the biggest match-ups in the footballing universe - Real Madrid vs. Barcelona; Juventus against AC Milan; Liverpool - Manchester United; Boca Juniors vs. River Plate, to name just a few - Bayern against Dortmund is right up there in terms of star players, sublime skill and plenty of bite.  

The free-scoring Harry Kane and goal-getter Serhou Guirassy are just two of the star turns who will look to make the difference when the sides line out on Matchday 12. The strikers have netted a combined 99 Bundesliga goals between them (50 and 49) and both will be eager to add to respective personal tallies this term under the global spotlight that Der Klassiker brings. 

Watch: Kane hit a hat-trick as Bayern won 4-0 in Dortmund last term

"Every football fan and every footballer looks forward to Der Klassiker," Bayern captain Manuel Neuer once said and, given how the numbers are adding up, that statement rings more true than ever this time around. Saturday sees the division's best home team (Dortmund have won all six of their Bundesliga games at the Signal Iduna Park so far) face the best away team (Bayern boasting five wins and a draw on their travels).

Added to that, the game will be overseen by two of the Bundesliga's youngest coaches, with the 36-year-old Nuri Şahin and Kompany - 38 - eager to concoct Der Klassiker's all-important tactical brew.

Watch: last time out - away-day triumph at last for BVB in Der Klassiker

In the last eight meetings, there have been 34 goals in this game of games, which works out at at just over four on average on each occasion. With numbers like that, you can't afford to miss out on the latest version of Der Klassiker, a match you can follow right here on bundesliga.com and across our social media channels on Saturday at 6.30pm CET.