"Not Easy To Play Bayern Munich In Their Home But Borussia Dortmund Not Scared": Roman Weidenfeller On Der Klassiker - Exclusive

The biggest game in the German topflight, the Bundesliga, has arrived with Bayern Munich hosting Borusia Dortmund at the Allianz Arena on Saturday. The two teams are placed top of the Bundesliga charts, with Dortmund leading Bayern by just one point. The German Clasico or Der Klassiker - as the Bayern vs Dortmund showdown is popularly branded - could turn out to be the 'title-defining game' that decides if Dortmund would end Bayern's dominance and lift the Meisterschale for the first time since 2011-12 season. Ahead of Der Klassiker, Dortmund legend Roman Weidenfeller had an exclusive conversation with NDTV where he touched upon various topics, including the Bundesliga title race, Dortmund's resurgence, the contract situations of Mats Hummels and Marco Reus, as well as the future of Jude Bellingham.

You were Borussia Dortmund's goalkeeper when Thomas Tuchel was managing the club. How do you see the sudden change in the Bayern Munich team, with Tuchel replacing Nagelsmann?

We are all not really sure. So much is changing. Of course, they changed the manager and that's a big thing. Nobody knew this before. The players on the pitch are the same guys like before. Julian Nagelsmann still had the chance to play (and win) all three competitions - in the Cup, in the league and in the Champions League. Bayern felt the threat in the last few weeks as Dortmund won nine matches in a row and a draw as they closed the gap.

I don't think it would be an overstatement to say that Nagelsmann's dismissal was a shocking one. Do you think the decision was more down to Tuchel's availability than Nagelsmann's underperformance?

Yes, I'll go with you. Thomas Tuchel was on the market and had the chance to go to maybe Tottenham or somewhere