Record against Dortmund:
Overall: 111 matches, 43 wins, 24 draws, 44 defeats, 182:190 goal difference
In the Bundesliga: 101 matches, 40 wins, 24 draws, 37 defeats, 169:170 goal difference
Chance to level up
A home victory this weekend for VfB would even things up historically between the two teams, giving them 44 wins each.
Big win at the end of last year
The 5-1 success in the reverse fixture is the biggest win for Pellegrino Matarazzo’s men so far this season, and it was also the first time that VfB had ever scored more than four goals in Dortmund.
Out of action
As was the case for the 1-0 win at home to Werder Bremen last week, Matarazzo will be without Orel Mangala, Nicolas Gonzalez and Silas Wamangituka due to injury.
We meet again
There are no fewer than six people in the VfB camp who have been on Borussia’s books in the past: Hamadi Al Ghaddioui (2016–2017), Atakan Karazor (2015–2017), Orel Mangala (2016–2017), Pascal Stenzel (2013–2016), Gonzalo Castro (2015–2018) and sporting director Sven Mislintat (2006–2017).
Leaving it late
VfB and BVB have each scored 15 times in the final quarter of an hour of matches this season – the most in the league, together with Bayern Munich.