Statistically, Borussia Dortmund’s 2025-26 Bundesliga season has been one of the best in their history, but their hopes of major honors this season have been dashed by a poor record against top teams.
Second-placed Dortmund has 61 points after 27 games, nine points behind defending champions Bayern Munich.
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Dortmund have taken more points only four times at this stage of the season, two of which were title-winning campaigns.
While Dortmund have only lost twice in the Bundesliga all season – both times to Bayern – the 2024 Champions League finalists have struggled against better teams.
Against teams from the top eight in the Bundesliga table – the only ones with a chance of qualifying for Europe – Dortmund have managed just two wins in nine games.
The wins came against Hoffenheim and Bayer Leverkusen, who knocked Dortmund out of the German Cup three days later.
A win against Stuttgart on Saturday would help turn things around.
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Stuttgart are third, eight points behind Borussia Dortmund, and are looking to finish in the top four for the second time in three seasons.
The reigning DFB-Pokal champions have dominated Dortmund since Sebastian Hoeness took over in April 2023, with five wins and two draws in seven meetings.
“I think we will do better against Stuttgart than we have in the past few games,” Dortmund coach Niko Kovac said on Thursday. “But this club (Stuttgart) has developed amazingly.
“They are a serious team and have grown well together in recent years, which is no coincidence.
“That means we really need to play our part in Saturday’s game.”
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Bayern travel to Freiburg on Saturday but are likely to be without Harry Kane, who missed England’s friendly defeat to Japan at Wembley with an ankle injury described by coach Thomas Tuchel as “minor”.
Kane has a history of ankle injuries and the league leaders appear ready to rest the England captain ahead of Tuesday’s Champions League quarter-final first leg against Real Madrid.
One to watch: Deniz Undav (Stuttgart)
Dortmund need to keep hot-hot Stuttgart striker Deniz Undave quiet.
Uddhav continued his excellent form by scoring the winning goal in Germany’s 2-1 win over Ghana on Monday.
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In 38 games across all competitions, the former Brighton striker has 23 goals and 13 assists.
Hoeness praised the forward’s central role in Stuttgart’s rise on Thursday, hours after Ondave was named Player of the Month for March.
“We are moving in the right direction in many areas. We cannot forget that with Deniz we have a player who can make a difference.
“You need a guy who can do the job. We don’t just have Deniz, we have others. But Deniz has to be mentioned first; his numbers are phenomenal.”
key statistics
0-Bayern have yet to lose away from home this season.
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5 – Second-bottom Wolfsburg have never been relegated from the Bundesliga since they were first promoted to the top flight in 1997. The 2009 German champions were five points shy of safety.
18 – None of Deniz Undav’s 18 league goals have come from the penalty spot. By comparison, 10 of Harry Kane’s 31 league goals have come from penalties.
Fixtures (1330 GMT unless otherwise stated)
Saturday
Freiburg v Bayern Munich, Hoffenheim v Mainz, Werder Bremen v RB Leipzig, Hamburg v Augsburg, Monchengladbach v Heidenheim, Leverkusen v Wolfsburg, Stuttgart v Borussia Dortmund (1630)
Sunday
Union Berlin v St. Pauli, Eintracht Frankfurt v Cologne (1530)
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