Dortmund brace for ‘most unusual’ derby upon return
Borussia Dortmund's young stars Erling Braut Haaland and Jadon Sancho will be hunting more goals on Saturday in "the most unusual derby in history" against Schalke as the German Bundesliga returns behind locked doors.
Dortmund usually expect 82,000 spectators at Signal Iduna Park for a derby, but the stadium will be near-empty with only a handful of media and officials admitted. Even national team coach Joachim Loew will not be allowed in.
"It will be the most unusual derby in history," former Dortmund captain Sebastian Kehl said. Normally, a home derby against Schalke comes alive "through the fans, from their emotions, from the enthusiasm in the stadium," Kehl added.
Dortmund are looking to close the four-point gap behind leaders Bayern Munich, who visit Union Berlin on Sunday.
While league action in England, Spain and Italy is still at least a month away, the German Football League (DFL) has drawn up detailed hygiene guidelines to restart.
The Bundesliga is set to become the first top European league to return during the pandemic.
At games around the country, substitutes will wear masks, celebrations will be replaced by elbow taps while handshakes and hugs before kick-off are a no-go.
"A lot of things will start from scratch on Saturday," Dortmund winger Julian Brandt told Sky. "There will be no real advantages and disadvantages to playing home or away. In the end, it depends on who best accepts this situation and can best deal with it."
The pressure is on Haaland, 19, and Sancho, 20, to continue their goal-rich partnership, despite the empty terraces, and steer injury-depleted Dortmund to victory.
Haaland was in stunning form when the league was suspended in mid-March with nine goals in eight Bundesliga appearances since joining from Salzburg. Sancho also terrorised defences with 14 goals and 16 assists in 23 league games.
At third-placed RB Leipzig, Timo Werner is aiming to move closer to his goal target for the season against Freiburg on Saturday.
"Not many players my age have scored 20 goals in a season and I've done it twice," said the 24-year-old who has netted 21 times this term. "I'd like to score 30 in a season."
Julian Nagelsmann's Leipzig trail leaders Bayern by five points following draws against Leverkusen and Wolfsburg.
Robert Lewandowski, the league's top scorer is back from injury, and looking to add to his 25 goals this season on Sunday against Union in Berlin.
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