Bayern host Dortmund in 2020’s Supercup clash on Thursday
The Bundesliga offers some of the most hard-fought rivalries in Europe, but nothing comes even remotely close to the Der Klassiker.
Contested by traditional rivals Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund, the clash has gathered more steam and momentum since the latter’s revival in the last decade.
The rivalry was at its peak when the sides even contested the Champions League final of 2013 which the Bavarians clinched after a hard-fought victory.
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The driving factor behind this growing conflict is the array of talented and highly skilled stars in both camps. Several top players have graced the ‘German Clasico’ over the decades, but ever wondered who are the top scorers of the clash?
So ahead of Thursday’s mouth-watering encounter at the Allianz Arena, let’s look at the top five scorers of the clash:
#5 Thomas Muller – 10 goals (Bayern Munich)
Now in his 11th year with the Bavarians, Thomas Muller is a Klassiker veteran, having participated in 28 games against Borussia Dortmund and experienced tremendous success by ending up on the winning side on 18 occasions.
He netted twice in his first appearance in this fixture in 2009 and hasn’t looked back ever since, bagging eight more. Besides, the Raumdeuter has chipped in with seven assists too and can surpass Dortmund legend Michael Zorc as the player with second-most appearances in the clash on Thursday.
#4 Karl-Heinz Rummenigge – 10 goals (Bayern Munich)
Bayern Munich’s current chairman is also a club legend, winning numerous trophies during his decade-long association with the Bavarians as a player.
A striker by trade, Rumminnegge maintained a prolific scoring record throughout his career, and Dortmund was one of his favorite teams, having bagged 10 goals against them in this fixture.
He scored twice on his Klassiker debut as a talented 21-year old youngster in 1976 and bagged his last during the 4-4 thriller in 1983.
#3 Arjen Robben – 11 goals (Bayern Munich)
Another big game player of the modern era, Arjen Robben, hung up his boots last year, but his legacy lives on. He always stepped up to the plate for the Bavarians in crucial moments and was a regular tormentor of Borussia Dortmund during his 10-year spell in Munich.
In 24 Klassiker appearances, he scored 11 times, most of which came in the league. However, his best effort came in the 2013 Champions League final when the Dutchman scored the winner for Bayern. He couldn’t add to his tally during his final season with the club after sitting out of both top-flight games due to injuries.
#2 Gerd Muller – 15 goals (Bayern Munich)
One of the greatest goal-scorers of the 20th century, Gerd Muller, is the most prolific player of the Bundesliga (365 goals) and Bayern Munich (565 goals). So it’s no surprise that he ranks so high up the list.
He saved some of his best performances in a Bayern shirt for the Schwarz-Gelben, netting 15 times from 20 games. It includes two hat-tricks, one of which was a foul-goal salvo in the historic 11-1 demolition of Dortmund in 1971!
#1 Robert Lewandowski – 23 goals (Bayern Munich/Borussia Dortmund)
Few prizes for guessing who’s the leading scorer in the Der Klassiker, for the Pole has been a mainstay in this fixture for a decade now and banged in the goals at a phenomenal rate.
In four years at Dortmund, he struck five times against Bayern, including the memorable hat-trick in the 2012 finals of the league cup, but since crossing over the bridge, he’s been a different beast.
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Lewandowski has made his former side one of his favorite punching bags, scoring 18 times against them since the switch in 2014, the most he’s managed against any side during that time.
His incredible record includes scoring in six consecutive league games, during which the targetman scored one hat-trick too, making him the only player to do so with both Klassiker teams.