Borussia Monchengladbach vs Borussia Dortmund Preview

Borussia Dortmund will play their last league game before the World Cup break when they travel to Borussia Park to face Borussia Monchengladbach this Friday.

Borussia Monchengladbach come into this tie on the back of just one win in their last six league games (D1, L4). The hosts’ miserable form in the 2022/23 Bundesliga season continued with another poor showing at the weekend when they were beaten 2-1 by relegation-threatened Bochum.

Daniel Farke’s side conceded both goals in the first 12 minutes of the game and could not snatch a point despite an improved second-half showing and a goal from Alassane Plea. After the game, the coach described his team as “lazy” and requiring “a different mindset” ahead of this must-win tie.

With his team currently sitting in ninth place, six points behind Dortmund in the sixth position, Farke will hope that they can win this game and keep their hopes of a top-six finish alive ahead of the World Cup break.

With just two points separating them and 12th-placed FC Koln, they could end the weekend outside of the top ten if they don’t win here. But given that they have won three of their last four outings (L1) in Borussia Park, they will fancy their chances of a win here.

However, they have not kept a clean sheet in their last eight league games and might struggle to keep a Dortmund side that has struck 24 league goals this season at bay.

In contrast, the visitors have struggled away from home having lost four of their last five away league games (W1). Edin Terzic’s inconsistent Borussia Dortmund side come into this tie on the back of another disappointing away outing as they were defeated 2-0 by Wolfsburg last time out.

That result ended a run of six games without defeat for the visitors (W4, D2) and condemned them to their joint-worst points total after 14 games since 2017/18.

They currently sit in sixth position, six points behind Bundesliga leaders Bayern Munich and so must continue to win here to keep pace in the title race. But considering their form away from home, a win here looks like a big ask, even though Gladbach have been inconsistent too.

Dortmund have lost four of their last five away league games (W1), meaning that they have taken 64% of their total league points this season at home. The last time Dortmund had more than their current four away losses after seven games was in 2014/15, a season that saw them finish in their lowest position in the last decade (7th). So Terzić will be extremely keen for his side to bounce back here and possibly get back to the top four.

Other fixtures taking place this week in the German Bundesliga:

German Bundesliga Table