Borussia Dortmund vs RB Leipzig: Bundesliga team news, preview

Things are looking bleak for Borussia Dortmund and Edin Terzic following their pedestrian and disjointed performance against VfB Stuttgart on Wednesday. And things do not get any easier for them this weekend, with a home game against RB Leipzig in the Bundesliga next up on the calendar.

Borussia Dortmund and RB Leipzig seem to have been wrestling for fourth place in the Bundesliga standings in recent weeks. Luckily for the Black and Yellows, Leipzig have been struggling for consistency following their squad overhaul in the summer. But they still have a number of game-changers in their ranks, including the in-form Loïs Openda and Xavi Simons.

It will be interesting to see if Terzic once again decides to park the bus and let the opponent dictate the pace of the game. The tactics backfired against Stuttgart, where BVB were lucky not to lose by at least five goals. And one can't help but feel that the shackles need to come off before the train completely goes off the rails.

To make matters worse for Borussia Dortmund, four players picked up injuries during Wednesday. Julian Ryerson, Marius Wolf, Marcel Sabitzer, and Youssoufa Moukoko were all forced off against Stuttgart. Ryerson and Moukoko will not play again before the turn of the year, while Wolf and Sabitzer are doubts for this weekend.

Felix Nmecha, Julien Duranville and Sebastien Haller are also unavailable, while Niklas Süle and Gio Reyna have been dealing with an illness. Fresh off his impressive performances for Germany at the FIFA U-17 World Cup, Paris Brunner has been training with the first-team since Thursday and is set for a spot in the first-team squad this weekend.

RB Leipzig have a few injury concerns of their own. Dani Olmo, Timo Werner, Willi Orbán, and El Chadaille Bitshiabu are all sidelined at the moment.

Borussia Dortmund vs RB Leipzig: Expected Starting Lineups

Borussia Dortmund: Kobel - Süle, Hummels, Schlotterbeck, Bensebaini - Özcan, Can, Brandt - Reus, Bynoe-Gittens - Füllkrug

RB Leipzig: Blaswich - Henrichs, Simakan, Lukeba, Raum - Schlager, Haidara - Xavi, Baumgartner - Openda, Poulsen