Der Klassiker Rivalry

Lore & Background

The first match between the two clubs was a 2–0 win for Dortmund in Dortmund on 16 October 1965. On 5 May 1966, Dortmund won the 1966 European Cup Winners' Cup final against Liverpool in extra time, becoming the first German club to win a European title. Bayern Munich won the same competition the following season. In 1971, Bayern defeated Dortmund 11–1; this remains Bayern's biggest Bundesliga victory and Dortmund's second worst defeat, after Dortmund's worst defeat of 12–0 v Borussia Mönchengladbach on 29 April 1978. The highest scoring draw in a Bundesliga match between the two teams occurred on 21 May 1983, when Karl-Heinz Rummenigge scored a late equaliser to save Bayern from a defeat against hosts Dortmund, with a final scoreline of 4–4. The rivalry between the clubs grew during the 1990s, as Dortmund's stature increased to challenge perennial title favourites Bayern, winning two Bundesliga titles in 1994–95 and 1995–96. In 1996, Bayern captain Lothar Matthäus accused Germany teammate Andreas Möller of being a 'crybaby', wiping imaginary tears from his face; Möller reacted by slapping Matthäus. At the end of that season, Dortmund won the 1997 UEFA Champions League final which happened to be played at the Olympiastadion, Bayern's home ground. The teams met in the quarter-finals of the next edition of the Champions League, and Dortmund prevailed over two legs thanks to a single goal from Stéphane Chapuisat. That summer, Bayern hired Dortmund's successful coach Ottmar Hitzfeld to work for them. Tempers flared twice during Bayern and Dortmund's second meeting in the 1998–99 Bundesliga, as Bayern goalkeeper Oliver Kahn first attempted a flying kung-fu kick at Chapuisat, and later appeared to bite Heiko Herrlich's ear. In the early 2000s both clubs remained successful, as Bayern lost one Champions League final (1999) then won another (2001) in addition to more domestic success, while Dortmund won the 2001–02 Bundesliga and reached the UEFA Cup final the same year. An angry 2001 league meeting between the pair was notable for ten yellow cards and three red being shown (a Bundesliga record for indiscipline). However, Dortmund soon fell heavily into debt, and a €2m loan from Bayern in 2004 played a small role in saving them from bankruptcy. On 19 April 2008, the two sides clashed in t

In Their Own Story

Red and yellow jerseys brush in the narrow corridor, a silent collision of two distinct worlds waiting to explode. The concrete floor vibrates beneath their boots as the referee's whistle cuts through the tension. One player steps forward, eyes locked on the center circle where history is about to be rewritten. This is not merely a match; it is a reckoning that defines eras.

Reader's Guide

As of 22 August 2026, the overall match statistics show Bayern Munich with 48 higher finishes in head-to-head Bundesliga rankings, Borussia Dortmund with 9. The biggest wins are Bayern Munich 11–1 (27 November 1971) and Borussia Dortmund 4–0 (6 March 1967).

Did You Know?

• The first match between the clubs was a 2–0 win for Dortmund in Munich on 16 October 1965.
• Bayern's 11–1 win in 1971 remains their biggest Bundesliga victory and Dortmund's second worst defeat.
• The 2013 UEFA Champions League final was the first all-German European Cup/Champions League final.
• A €2m loan from Bayern in 2004 played a small role in saving Dortmund from bankruptcy.