Borussia Dortmund v Hertha Berlin: A thriller forecast at the Westfalenstadion

Borussia Dortmund welcome in-form Hertha Berlin to their Westfalenstadion base on Saturday evening. Mark O'Haire analyses the encounter...

Borussia Dortmund v Hertha Berlin
Saturday June 6, 17:30
BT Sport and Betfair Live Video

Dortmund bounce back to winning ways

Dortmund bounced back from their Der Klassiker defeat by eviscerating rock-bottom Paderborn 6-1 last weekend. With the match goalless at the interval, Die Schwarzgelben produced a devastating second-half display with English ace Jadon Sancho plundering his first career hat-trick; Achraf Hakimi, Thorgan Hazard and Marcel Schmeltzer were also on-target.

A first league title since 2012 under Jürgen Klopp remains a mathematical possibility but there is no margin for error with BVB sliding seven points behind pace-setting Bayern Munich with just 15 points to play for. However, Lucien Favre will be forced into a couple of enforced changes to his second-placed side on Saturday with injury and suspension biting.

Mats Hummels is banned and therefore Emre Can is the most likely to fill the void at the heart of a back three with Axel Witsel partnering Thomas Delaney in the centre of park with Mo Dahoud out for the rest of the season. Elsewhere, star striker Erling Haaland remains a doubt with a knee injury, meaning Hazard could again be tasked with leading the line.

Hertha Berlin extend unbeaten streak

Hertha Berlin have been one of the Bundesliga's standout sides since the enforced COVID-19 break. Under the leadership of their fourth head coach of the campaign in Bruno Labbadia, Die Alte Dame have finally found a semblance of stability, confidence and structure. The highly-rated boss has guided the capital club to a W3-D1-L0 return.

The former Wolfsburg and Hamburg supremo has reinstalled club captain Vedad Ibisevic at the point of Hertha's attack, whilst the trickery of Matheus Cunha and raw pace and power of Dodi Lukebakio has given the unfashionable outfit the tools to hurt opposition defences. Unfortunately for the visitors, concussion will keep Cunha out of action this weekend.

Dutch winger Javairo Dilrosun should therefore keep his place in Cunha's absence after scoring in Die Alte Dame's 2-0 triumph over Augsburg last time out, whilst record signing Krzysztof Piatek again starts from the bench despite grabbing the second goal last Saturday. Marvin Plattenhardt is also absent with Maximilian Mittelstadt filling in at left-back.

BVB hot favourites at home

Dortmund are unbeaten in each of their last five Bundesliga games against Hertha Berlin (W3-D2-L0) although Die Schwarzgelben haven't completed the double over Die Alte Dame since 2004/05. Nevertheless, the hosts have scored in each of their last 28 league games against the capital club at the Westfalenstadion, losing none of the last five (W3-D2-L0).

Dortmund 1.40 are currently enjoying their second-best ever Rückrunde (W10-D0-L2), whilst their 80-goal tally is a record-breaking figure at this stage of the season. BVB have proven formidable hosts under Lucien Favre (W24-D5-L2), winning by at least a two-goal margin in 48% of those fixtures and scoring three or more goals in 65% of 31 matches here.

Hertha 8.40 have taken 10 of a possible 12 points in their four Bundesliga games under Bruno Labbadia, at an aggregate scoreline of 11-2 and recording three clean sheets along the way. Die Alte Dame are in the top half of the table for the first time since MD2 and have suffered only three league defeats in 16 outings since the start of December (W7-D6-L3).

Goal-glut expected on Saturday evening

Dortmund fixtures tend to feature plenty of goalmouth action and Die Schwarzgelben's encounters at the Westfalenstadion rarely disappoint. BVB have seen 28 of their 31 contests here under Lucien Favre produce at least two goals with 26/31 (84%) rewarding Over 2.5 Goals 1.40 backers. A mammoth 22/31 (71%) even broke the Over 3.5 Goals barrier.

Both teams have managed to score in 19/31 (61%) of those Dortmund home games, a statistic that should encourage an attack-minded Hertha Berlin side on Saturday. The visitors have notched in all bar three of their 14 road trips this term with 11 of those away days beating the Over 2.5 Goals line, as have 10 of the Die Alte Dame's past 12 outings.

With Mats Hummels missing from Dortmund's defence, I expect Hertha to have some joy in forward areas and so I'm happy to delve into Betfair Sportsbook's Same Game Multi market to find a goals-based play at an appealing price. Here we can support Over 2.5 Goals and Both Teams To Score at 1.75 - that's an angle that's already paid out in four of Hertha's five fixtures against elite trio Bayern Munich, RB Leipzig and Dortmund this term.