Berlin: Bayern Munich face familiar opposition in neighbours Augsburg on Saturday as the Bundesliga leaders take on their Bavarian rivals for the second time in four days.
Bayern beat Augsburg 3-1 on Wednesday in the second round of the German Cup as US international Julian Green — deputising for striker Robert Lewandowski — David Alaba and Philipp Lahm all scored.
Carlo Ancelotti rested a host of stars including Arturo Vidal, Arjen Robben, Xabi Alonso and Lewandowski ahead of this weekend’s league game at Augsburg’s WWK-Arena stadium.
The Munich giants need a win in their warm-up for next Tuesday’s Champions League clash at PSV Eindhoven to ensure they remain clear at the summit.
The top clash of the weekend is Saturday’s Ruhr Valley derby between Borussia Dortmund and arch-rivals Schalke 04.
Dortmund are unbeaten in their last three league meetings against Schalke but are struggling with a lengthy injury list and are winless in their last three Bundesliga games.
Andre Schuerrle, Raphael Guerrerio, Marcel Schmelzer, Sven Bender, Erik Durm, Neven Subotic and Marco Reus are all either out injured or returning from injury.
Dortmund hope to have striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang back from a calf knock after he missed Wednesday’s nervy German Cup penalty shoot-out win over Union Berlin.
Schalke made a disastrous start to the season when they lost their first five games, but Markus Weinzierl’s side have steadied the ship by picking up seven points in the three matches since.
Midfielder Nabil Bentaleb, on loan from Tottenham Hotspur, has been a revelation during the revival with three goals in his last two games.
Schalke are eager to make his move permanent, but director of sport Christian Heidel says Spurs want at least €20 million ($21.8 million) for the Algeria international.
“It was a double-digit sum and there was a two at the front,” Heidel said.
Bentaleb is relishing his first Ruhr derby and likened it to a match against Spurs’ north London rivals Arsenal.
“I don’t know if you can compare it to a London derby, but I’m looking forward to it,” said the 21-year-old.
