Our next opponents: The best team in the Rückrunde on course for runners-up spot

Position

There was no doubt after the final whistle that the 2-0 win at VfB Stuttgart on Easter Saturday was a very fortunate one. "It was certainly more of a nil-nil game than a two-nil win for us," said Niko Kovac post-match. Nevertheless, the BVB coach was happy to take the three points from Stuttgart back to Dortmund and he also emphasised his team's strengths in his analysis: "It was a battle of attrition, a game with very few highlights. We had a little bit of luck on our side with the last two shots. But the way we managed the two counter-attacks at the end alone shows the quality of this team." Karim Adeyemi (90+4’) and Julian Brandt (90+6’) only scored for BVB deep into added time.

It was the fourth league win in a row for the Black and Yellows, who have won ten of their last twelve games and remain in second place behind league leaders Bayern Munich (73) with 64 points. They are eleven points clear of third and fourth place. After the win in Stuttgart, managing director for sport Lars Ricken therefore spoke of a "big result on the way to the runners-up spot". Ole Book, Dortmund's new sporting director, who took over from Sebastian Kehl a fortnight ago, said: "The result was exactly what we wanted. We put in a better performance in the second half - even after the changes and substitutions made by the coach. That's why we're delighted with the win with two fine goals that were scored with individual quality. That's also part of being a good Bundesliga team."

This season has been Dortmund's third best in terms of points in the club's history. With 28 out of a possible 33 points, BVB are also currently the best team in the Bundesliga in the Rückrunde. Dortmund have only suffered two defeats - both against FC Bayern - after 28 matchdays, the fewest since 60 years ago in the 1965/66 season. BVB have not been quite as successful in the UEFA Champions League, where the Black and Yellows were eliminated in the play-offs by Atalanta. In the DFB Pokal, Kovac's team were knocked out in the Round of 16 after losing 1-0 at home to the Werkself. Three days earlier, Dortmund won 2-1 at Bayer 04 in the Bundesliga Hinrunde.

Personnel

Aaron Anselmino was one of Borussia's goalscorers in the narrow victory in Leverkusen. The defender has since returned to Chelsea after the Premier League club recalled the Argentine at the end of January 2026 in accordance with the contract. Dortmund's second goalscorer from the Hinrunde game is also unavailable for Borussia on Saturday: Karim Adeyemi saw his fifth yellow card in the 2-0 win in Stuttgart.

Captain Emre Can (cruciate ligament rupture) and Germany international Felix Nmecha (torn knee ligament), who was replaced by Carney Chukwuemeka in Stuttgart, are sidelined through injury. The 22-year-old Austria international was in the starting line-up for the eighth time this season. He could also start again against the Werkself in midfield alongside Jobe Bellingham and Marcel Sabitzer. In defence, Niko Kovac can call on his tried-and-tested central defenders Ramy Bensebaini, Nico Schlotterbeck and Waldemar Anton. Daniel Svensson (left) and Julian Ryerson are likely to be back on the flanks. Strikers Serhou Guirassy and Maximilian Beier are available. Former Leverkusen player Julian Brandt is also an option for the starting eleven.

Problems

Borussia Dortmund regularly struggle against top teams, both in national competitions and in the Champions League. In the UCL, the Black and Yellows lost to Manchester City (1-4), Tottenham Hotspur (0-2), Inter Milan (0-2) and Atalanta (1-4). They lost twice to Bayern in the league but only managed two draws against RB Leipzig. They also only drew against Eintracht Frankfurt and SC Freiburg. BVB have only picked up wins against teams from the current top eight in the league at Leverkusen, against TSG Hoffenheim and most recently against VfB. After the game against the Werkself, Kovac's team travel to Hoffenheim in fifth place in the table, and then Dortmund host SC Freiburg. Finally, the penultimate matchday sees them at home to Eintracht Frankfurt, who are currently seventh in the table. Plenty of opportunities to prove themselves against top teams.

PerFormers

After FC Bayern (100), Borussia Dortmund (60) have scored the second highest number of goals and - also after the record champions (27) - conceded the second fewest (28). BVB's defensive stability is evidenced by many stats: only 301 shots conceded is the second-best number in the table, Dortmund are the only team yet to concede a goal on the counter-attack and they concede very few goals from set-pieces. The Black and Yellows have kept a clean sheet in 13 out of 28 matches - more than any other team.

But Dortmund's attack also has a lot of individual class to offer and delivers impressive figures. BVB have not failed to score at least one goal so far, and Borussia have found the back of the net in 36 consecutive Bundesliga matches. In the past 14 Bundesliga fixtures, Kovac's team have always scored two or more goals - equalling the club record set in 1995. With 25 goals from set-pieces, Dortmund are also the second most successful team behind Bayern from set plays. The attacking quartet of Serhou Guirassy (13), Maximilian Beier (8), Karim Adeyemi and Julian Brandt (7 each) have contributed more than half of BVB's total of 60 goals. Borussia's best provider is right-back Julian Ryerson with twelve assists. In the Bundesliga, only Bayern's Michael Olise (21) and Luis Diaz (14) have more assists.