Dortmund seek victory against Mainz to end Bayern’s decade-long dominance

Jude Bellingham celebrates after scoring for Borussia Dortmund

BUNDESLIGA Dortmund seek victory against Mainz to end Bayern’s decade-long dominance

Joel Omotto 11:30 - 27.05.2023

The Black and Yellow are one win away from lifting the Bundesliga title after watching the Bavarian giants claim the last 10 in a row

Borussia Dortmund play host to Mainz 05 at Westfalenstadion on Saturday knowing that a victory will be enough to clinch their first Bundesliga title in 11 years.

BVB lead the way at the summit heading into the final game of the season, sitting two points clear of perennial German top-flight winners Bayern Munich in second place.

Dortmund vs Mainz preview

Just under a year on from selling goal machine Erling Braut Haaland, few would have envisaged Borussia Dortmund perched at the top of the Bundesliga table with one game remaining, but head coach Edin Terzic is hoping to become the first BVB boss since Jurgen Klopp to win the title and finally end a decade of Bayern dominance.

The Black and Yellows have capitalised on Bayern's faltering form in recent weeks and have accumulated 17 points from their last 21 available, convincingly winning each of their last three matches against Wolfsburg, Borussia Monchengladbach and Augsburg by an aggregate score of 14-2.

A 6-0 thrashing of Wolfsburg and a 5-2 triumph over Monchengladbach were followed by a 3-0 home victory against 10-man Augsburg last Sunday courtesy of goals from Sebastian Haller (two) and Julian Brandt, a day after Bayern had lost 3-1 at home to RB Leipzig.

Dortmund were nine points adrift of former league leaders Bayern after matchday 15, but they have since gradually closed the gap before claiming top spot last weekend, becoming the first team since Stuttgart in 2006-07 to move to the Bundesliga summit within the final two matchdays.

BVB will be confident of securing the three points that they require to clinch top spot and the title on Saturday, as they boast the best home record in the Bundesliga this season, winning 14 and drawing one of their 16 matches at Westfalenstadion. An ongoing run of 11 straight home victories, dating back to October, is also their best since a club-record streak of 12 back in 1994.

Dortmund team news

Dortmund will be without injured duo Thomas Meunier (adductor) and Jamie Bynoe-Gittens (shoulder), while Soumaila Coulibaly is away on international duty with France at the Under-20s World Cup.

Star midfielder Jude Bellingham missed the win over Augsburg with a minor knee injury, but the teenager is available to return on Saturday and could start in the middle of the pitch along with Brandt and Emre Can.

Fresh from signing a new contract with BVB, experienced defender Mats Hummels is set to start as captain at the back, and the former Bayern man is hoping to become the first player in Bundesliga history to win at least three titles with two different clubs.

Giovanni Reyna, who scored a 93rd-minute winner in a 2-1 victory over Mainz earlier this season, will be hoping to force his way into the first XI, although Donyell Malen and Karim Adeyemi are the most likely duo to join Haller in attack.