Borussia Dortmund vs Holstein Kiel

Holstein Kiel and Borussia Dortmund have met three times so far: BVB won 4-0 away in the quarter-finals of the 2011/12 DFB-Pokal and then 5-0 at home in the semi-finals in 2020/21, before the Storks won 4-2 in this season’s reverse fixture. It was Dortmund’s first defeat against a Bundesliga debutant since August 2019 (3-1 loss at Union Berlin).

Borussia Dortmund have won four Bundesliga games in a row for the first time since March 2024. They have picked up 19 of a possible 21 points from the last seven matchdays (W6, D1), a league high.

Borussia Dortmund, currently in fifth place, would qualify for the Champions League if they win by at least a three-goal margin. Since 2011/12, when the team that finished fourth entered Champions League qualification again, only one club has climbed into the top four on the final matchday: Bayer 04 Leverkusen in 2018/19.

Holstein Kiel’s 2-1 defeat at home to SC Freiburg confirmed their relegation from the Bundesliga in their first season in the division. They could now suffer their 21st defeat of the campaign – only one other club has been beaten as often in their debut Bundesliga season since the 1980s: Greuther Fürth in 2012/13.

Holstein Kiel are on a three-game unbeaten run away from home for the first time in the Bundesliga (W1, D2). Their last away game, a 3-1 victory in Augsburg, was just their second win on the road in the top flight – their other away victory came on matchday 24 at the start of March at Union Berlin (1-0).