Borussia Dortmund: attacking threat offset by defensive uncertainty

Dortmund have endured an uneven pre-season, alternating between impressive victories and disappointing results. Niko Kovac’s team defeated Rot-Weiss Oberhausen 3-1, suffered narrow losses to Fortuna Düsseldorf and Cerezo Osaka, then responded with wins over Tokyo and Arsenal. Their final preparation match against Roma finished 2-2.

The meeting with the Italians once again exposed Dortmund’s tendency to start slowly. They found themselves two goals behind inside the opening nine minutes, but showed plenty of character to recover before the interval, with Julian Ryerson and Serhou Guirassy finding the net. Their attacking quality is undeniable, yet another sluggish opening against Bayern could be extremely difficult to overcome.

Defensive selection remains another concern. Emre Can missed the Roma game with a cruciate ligament injury, while Nico Schlotterbeck was unavailable because of an ankle issue. Maximilian Beier and Carney Chukwuemeka also sat out, while Waldemar Anton was rested as part of his workload management. Kovac therefore still has some decisions to make before finalizing his defensive setup for the Super Cup.

Dortmund have also added another midfield option, officially bringing in Joey Veerman from PSV on August 18. However, the Dutch midfielder has very little time to settle into his new surroundings before facing Bayern.

Bayern Munich: key players return just in time

Bayern’s pre-season has been shaped largely by the delayed return of their World Cup contingent. Harry Kane, Michael Olise, and Dayot Upamecano only returned to full team training on August 17, leaving their physical condition as an important factor ahead of the Super Cup. Kane has already indicated that his playing time will depend on how ready he feels.

Even so, Vincent Kompany’s side have built considerable momentum. Bayern defeated Aston Villa 2-1, followed that with a 3-1 victory over RB Leipzig, and ended their warm-up schedule by coming from behind to beat Heidenheim 4-2 on August 18. Bayern were trailing 2-1 at half-time but produced a much stronger second-half display, with Kane and Olise both making their first pre-season appearances.

Jamal Musiala remains a major question mark. Following two incidents in which he lost consciousness during matches against Leipzig and Heidenheim, the midfielder was diagnosed with a neurological condition. As of August 19, his availability for the Super Cup remains uncertain, making his potential absence something Kompany will have to account for when selecting his attacking setup.

Projected starting lineups

Borussia Dortmund: Kobel — Anton, Mané, Bensebaini — Ryerson, Nmecha, Bellingham, Svensson — Karetsas, Inácio — Guirassy.

Bayern Munich: Neuer — Stanišić, Upamecano, Tah, Davies — Kimmich, Pavlović — Olise, Saibari, Luis Díaz — Kane.