Fierce rivals Borussia Dortmund and FC Schalke 04 will lock horns this Saturday in the Bundesliga. The so called Revierderby has its place right at the top of the derbies in Germany and is also one of Europe’s top derbies. The 4th Official has previewed the epic encounter and in this article, we will make a combined lineup from the two sides.
Formation: We will choose a 4-2-3-1 lineup for this match as both of the sides are pretty familiar with it.
Goalkeeper: The goalkeeping spot would go to Dortmund keeper Roman Burki, the Swiss goalkeeper pips Ralf Fahrmann of Schalke, who has been somewhat poor this season considering his form last campaign. Both the keepers have kept just one clean sheet so far but Burki leads the saves made with 21 saves to Fahrmann’s measly total of nine.
Right Back: Dortmund right back Lukasz Piszczek also nudges ahead of the injured right backs of Schalke. The Polish veteran defender’s downfall is clearly visible but Piszczek is still better than any other defender on his day.
Right center back: German International and Schalke captain Benedikt Höwedes beats Dortmund’s Sokratis to the RCB spot. Even though the former world champion at times has featured as a right back for Markus Weinzierl’s side but that only shows his versatility and his worth in gold to the Schalke team.
Left center back: Another Schalke defender joins the Revierderby lineup in Matija Nastasic. He beats the former Barcelona and current Dortmund center back Marc Bartra for the LCB role. The Serbian defender has actually been good this season despite Schalke’s defensive problems whilst Marc Bartra has hardly played for the Black and Yellows to prove his credentials.
Left Back: The injury to Dortmund vice-captain Marcel Schmelzer gives former Chelsea man Abdul Rahman Baba a spot in the combined Revierderby lineups. After lack of chances at Chelsea, the Ghanaian moved back to Bundesliga and seems to be a good fit with Schalke.
Defensive Midfielder: The first of the two defensive midfield positions would go to Dortmund youngster Julian Weigl. The German International has once again performed to his expectations despite his teams’ tough start to the season. Recently, the 21-year scored a screamer against Sporting CP in the Champions League to open his senior account. His participation in the middle would be crucial for Dortmund no end.
Defensive Midfielder: Another young prodigy like Weigl, this time in a Schalke kit will be Leon Goretzka. The 21-year-old midfielder is brimming with potential and this season, with the departure of a few Schalke midfielders, Goretzka is finally enjoying his breakthrough season with the Royal Blues.
Right Wing: New Dortmund signing in summer, Ousmane Dembele has been wreaking havoc in opposition defenses ever since he arrived at the Bundesliga. The 19-year-old seems unplayable at times, clever drop of the shoulders, quick turns and speedy movements are some of his well-known traits and the French International is averaging an insane 5.1 take ons per game!
Center Attacking Midfielder: Former Spurs midfielder Nabil Bentaleb gets chosen ahead of Mario Götze of BVB. Bentaleb joined from Spurs on loan this season and made a quick impact since coming in. In recent games, Bentaleb has been no short of a savior for Schalke, finding the back of the net three times along with his two assists. There’s even ongoing rumors of him making a permanent move to Gelsenkirchen.
Left Wing: He may not be flashy as some of his teammates are but he sure is a big asset for American football for years to come, he is Christian Pulisic, the 18-year-old. Pulisic’s performance had been overwhelming in the past and this season, thanks to Dortmund’s injury crisis, Pulisic seems to be enjoying a breakout season with Dortmund. The wunderkind has scored two goals and provided as many as five assists this campaign which is enough to get a place in the combined lineups.
Striker: There will not be a single doubt over the credibility of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang. Arguably the best forward in the league, Aubameyang has been sustaining his goal scoring display for three consecutive seasons now. He has already scored seven goals this season just one behind, Cologne forward Anthony Modeste. The Gabonese International was also got nominated for the prestigious Ballon D’Or award for 2016. If Schalke are to stop Dortmund’s attacking force, they would have to keep Aubameyang at bay.
