Borussia Dortmund close out their Japan tour with a friendly against FC Tokyo at the Japan National Stadium in Tokyo on Saturday.
After back-to-back defeats to Fortuna Dusseldorf and Cerezo Osaka, the pressure is on BVB to deliver as their pre-season campaign threatens to completely go off the rails.
With their Franz Beckenbauer Supercup against Bayern Munich now only three weeks away, Dortmund will be looking to add some momentum with a win here.
Here are three things to look forward to during the clash tomorrow:
1) Return of World Cup stars
Perhaps the biggest reason for the BVB faithful to get excited for the match is the highly-anticipated return of five of their first team stars for the first time since the conclusion of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
German contingent Waldemar Anton, Felix Nmecha and Maximilian Beier, Swedish full-back Daniel Svensson and Austria's Carney Chukwuemeka are set to feature in the clash to FC Tokyo as confirmed by managing director Lars Ricken.
Although it's unclear how many of them would start (or if head coach Niko Kovac intends to bring them off the bench since it's their first game of the preseason), their presence would certainly give their side a massive boost in tomorrow's fixture.
2) An emotional reunion on the cards
FC Tokyo vs Borussia Dortmund also brings two former teammates Maximilian Beier and Sei Muroya face-to-face. The pair played together at German club Hannover 96 between 2021 and 2023 and were seen sharing a warm embrace and exchanging pleasantries before standing for a picture during their practice session inside the National Stadium today.
Muroya joined Hannover in 2020 from FC Tokyo, a year before Beier signed a loan move with the 2. Bundesliga side from TSG Hoffenheim as the teammates played 55 matches together. Ahead of their on-field reunion, there will be no love lost as Beier has vowed to 'put a little pressure' on his ex-teammate.
3) Chance for BVB to find attacking rhythm
As the club is set to welcome back many of their World Cup stars, Niko Kovac will finally have the chance to figure out their attacking rhythm after two frustrating games. The return of senior players could help them get more fluid with their passing and forward movements while also displaying more cutting edge than last time. Having been held scoreless in Osaka, the last thing fans want to see from them is fluffing their lines once again.
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