Borussia Dortmund and Bayern Munich will each be looking to lay down a marker for the season to come when they collide in the DFL Supercup at the Signal Iduna Park on Saturday (kick-off: 8.30pm CEST/7.30pm BST/2.30pm EDT).


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Dortmund ran Bayern close last season – at one point opening up a nine-point lead on the record Bundesliga champions – but the Bavarians sealed their seventh consecutive title on the final day with a 5-1 thrashing of Eintracht Frankfurt, ultimately edging BVB by two points. Die Schwarzgelben have done some serious summer shopping since, bringing back former captain Mats Hummels from the Allianz Arena as well as adding Thorgan Hazard, Nico Schulz and Julian Brandt to their embarrassment of attacking riches alongside Marco Reus and Co. All four newcomers featured in a pre-season which took in victories over Seattle, Udinese and European champions Liverpool, but Brandt will be absent through injury here, and Hazard is rated doubtful after coming off early in the 4-1 win over Udinese. Thomas Delaney beside Axel Witsel as an extra defensive shield would seem sensible against last season’s top scorers. Goalkeeper Roman Bürki has been ruled out with a shin complaint, meaning Marwin Hitz should start, while BVB’s only other doubt is Dan-Axel Zagadou, who missed training earlier this week due to illness. Manuel Akanji remains the most likely to play alongside Hummels at centre-back.

Bayern have also been busy in the summer transfer window, recruiting French FIFA World Cup-winning defenders Lucas Hernandez and Benjamin Pavard as well as Germany youth international striker Fiete Arp. Pavard and Arp travelled for the International Champions Cup in the USA this summer – in which Bayern lost to Arsenal before rebounding with victories over Real Madrid and AC Milan – but Hernandez stayed at home to continue his rehabilitation after cruciate ligament surgery. Pavard should be favourite to partner Niklas Süle at the heart of Bayern’s back four, but following his star-turn in America, Jerome Boateng has given Niko Kovac a selection headache rather against the odds. The Supercup will be the first time in nearly a decade that neither Arjen Robben nor Franck Ribery will be available for selection. Robbery have departed, and Serge Gnabry’s attempts to steal the show have been held up by a muscular strain. Thomas Müller could start on the right-hand side – rather than in the No.10 role in which he starred in the latter part of last season – as a result. Kingsley Coman piecked up a knee injury in the Audi Cup final penalty shoot-out loss to Tottenham Hotspur, but Kovac is confident the Frenchman will be fit to start. Canadian teenager Alphonso Davies – on target in that game – is an alternative.

Match stats
Bayern and Dortmund shared their head-to-heads last season; BVB winning their first Bundesliga meeting 3-2 in November before Bayern avenged that loss with a 5-0 victory in April.
Robert Lewandowski was the top scorer in the Bundesliga last term, his 22 goals enough to take home the Torjägerkanone for the third time in four seasons.
Dortmund’s Jadon Sancho topped the assists chart, meanwhile, his haul of 14 one more than Bayern right-back Joshua Kimmich laid on.
Bayern have lifted the Supercup a record seven times. Dortmund are second on the all-time list with five victories in the competition.
This will be the 10th edition of the DFL Supercup. Until 1996, the competition was organised by the DFB.
Saturday could see up to seven summer signings make their competitive debuts, although in Hummels’ case, it would be his second for Dortmund, having first turned out for them in February 2008.

Probable line-ups

Dortmund: Hitz – Hakimi, Akanji, Hummels, Schulz – Witsel, Delaney – Sancho, Götze, Reus (c) – Alcacer
Out: Brandt (adductor), Bürki (shin), Morey (shoulder)
Doubtful: Hazard (ankle), Zagadou (illness)

Bayern: Neuer (c) – Kimmich, Süle, Pavard, Alaba – Tolisso, Thiago – Müller, Goretzka, Coman – Lewandowski
Out: –
Doubtful: Gnabry (thigh), Hernandez (match fitness)