Borussia Dortmund handed warning ahead of Der Klassiker as Jadon Sancho admission made

Borussia Dortmund sit second in the Bundesliga, four points behind league leaders Bayern Munich, as the pair face off in Der Klassiker on Tuesday, while whether Jadon Sancho starts remains in question

Borussia Dortmund general manager Michael Zorc has warned his players ahead of Tuesday’s crunch clash with Bayern Munich: “If we want to continue playing for the championship, we must win!"

Dortmund play host to the league leaders in Der Klassiker on Tuesday evening, with a four point gap separating the top two.

Both have won back-to-back matches since the Bundesliga’s restart following its coronavirus-enforced break.

Bayern arrive with Robert Lewandowski having scored 41 times already this term - in just 35 games - and having comfortably beaten Eintracht Frankfurt on Saturday, winning 5-2 at the Allianz Arena.

But Lucien Favre’s men were impressive in winning 2-0 at Wolfsburg, winning comfortably with a professional display despite not being at their thrilling best.

That came on the back of their 4-0 Revierderby win over Schalke, with BVB looking increasingly accomplished and secure with their three-man central defence.

However, they were butchered by Bayern on their league meeting earlier in the season, battered into submission in a four-goal reverse.

Yet Favre is confident his side have put that game firmly behind them.

"We do not think back to that first game. We have forgotten it. We did not play well," he declared on Monday morning.

It was after the game against Inter [Milan, in the Champions League], and we weren't good. But that's over.

"We now play a system that better fits our squad and we have also brought in Emre Can and Erling Haaland as reinforcements in the winter who have further increased our quality.

“It's always a special game. We won here a year ago, we won in the Super Cup.

“And we want to win again. "

Mats Hummels, who was substituted with an injury at the weekend, is “99 per cent” certain to be fit to start at the heart of the defensive line.

Captain Marco Reus remains absent, while Favre admitted little in terms of whether Jadon Sancho would return to the starting XI.

The England winger has only been a substitute in the last two outings due to fitness issues of his own, but produced an important cameo in the win at Wolfsburg, teeing up Achraf Hakimi for the crucial second goal.

Sancho will be determined to shine against Bayern, having been hooked for tactical reasons before the break in the early season defeat.

“Jadon [Sancho] has been training with the team for 10 days, played against Schalke for 20 minutes and a little more in Wolfsburg. He’s improving slowly but surely.”

Asked whether he would play, Favre responded: "We'll see."

Zorc added: “Tomorrow the two best teams will play against each other.”

For the good of the Bundesliga fans hoping for a title race, Dortmund has better be ready.

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