Borussia Dortmund (DOR) host Borussia Monchengladbach (MOB) in the second Battle of the Borussias in the Bundesliga 2021-22 season at the Westfalenstadion on Sunday, February 20. The Matchday 23 fixture will kick off at 10:00 PM IST.

DOR vs MOB Dream11 prediction

While Monchengladbach have already defeated BVB once in the season, their form has been extremely inconsistent as they sit a lowly 13th in the standings. Borussia Dortmund, on the other hand, are fresh off a 2-4 defeat at hands of Rangers in the UEFA Europa League, but they have won four of their last five league games, which should inspire some confidence.

Furthermore, what gives the home team an advantage is that they have scored at least twice in each of their 11 Bundesliga home games this season and have a total of 33 goals at the Westfalenstadion. On the contrary, Monchengladbach have not only struggled to win on the road but have conceded 11 goals in their last five away league games.

That said, considering the current run of form and recent record of both teams, it is safe to say Dortmund will start as favourites against Monchengladbach on Sunday.

DOR vs MOB Dream11 team tips for Bundesliga 2021-22

Top tip: Best forward

As Erling Haaland continues to be an injury doubt, DOR’s Donyell Malen remains our recommendation for this contest. The 23-year-old has led the line for his team in Haaland’s absence and has scored three goals besides providing six assists in the league. Malen is expected to play a big role on Sunday.

Top tip: Best midfielder

It’s tough to pick one between DOR captain Marco Reus and MOB’s Jonas Hoffman, but judging by the recent form, our pick is the former. The 32-year-old versatile midfielder has provided eight assists and scored seven goals in 21 Bundesliga games this season, with three strikes coming in his last three league outings, including a brace against Union Berlin. With his team missing several big names, Reus will be one to keep a keen eye on.

Top tip: Best defender and goalkeeper

With five goals and three assists across all competitions, DOR’s Raphael Guerreiro is an automatic pick for a defender. The 28-year-old Portugal left-back was on target in the Europa League tie against Rangers and will hope to add more goals to his tally besides being solid defensively on Sunday.

DOR’s 24-year-old keeper Gregor Kobel has conceded 32 goals this season while managing four clean sheets. This may sound like a poor return, but it is considerably better than MOB’s Yann Sommer who has shipped 40 goals while keeping just two clean sheets. Hence, the DOR custodian is our goalkeeping recommendation for this contest.

DOR vs MOB probable playing XI

DOR playing XI (probable): Gregor Kobel (goalkeeper); Emre Can, Mats Hummels, Dan-Axel Zagadou, Raphael Guerreiro; Mohammad Dahoud, Axel Witsel, Jude Bellingham; Julian Brandt, Donyell Malen, Marco Reus (captain)

MOB playing XI (probable): Yann Sommer (captain and goalkeeper); Matthias Ginter, Marvin Friedrich, Nico Elvedi; Stefan Lainer, Kouadio Kone, Florian Neuhaus, Rami Bensebaini; Patrick Hofmann, Plea; Breel Alassane Embolo

SportsAdda will bring you Borussia Dortmund vs Borussia Monchengladbach live score.

Featured photo: AFP / Uwe Kraft

The last half of the UEFA Champions League 2020-21 round of 16 will see Premier League giants Manchester City taking on Bundesliga side Borussia Monchengladbach in the second leg on Wednesday, March 17, at the Puskas Arena in Budapest.

Coming into the fixture with two away goals from the first leg, thanks to Gabriel Jesus and Bernardo Silva, Man City are favourites to seal the deal in the two-legged UCL tie. Borussia Monchengladbach, on the flip side, face an uphill task against Pep Guardiola’s star-studded team. Watch Manchester City vs Borussia Monchengladbach live.

Manchester City haven't lost once in their last five encounters against Monchengladbach with four wins and one draw to their name. Their last meeting, in fact, saw the EPL giants run riot with a 4-0 win.

On the domestic front, City are 14 points clear at the top of the points table with just eight games remaining. In contrast, Monchengladbach are struggling in the Bundesliga, currently occupying the 10th spot in the standings.

Manchester City team news

Manager Pep Guardiola has efficiently rotated his squad amid the European nights and the domestic league weekend fixtures, leaving his side with no injury concerns ahead of their UEFA Champions League round of 16 fixture against Monchengladbach.

Borussia Monchengladbach team news

Borussia Monchengladbach manager Marco Rose, however, must exercise caution going into this decisive fixture. The German team could see centre-half Ramy Bensebaini, midfielder Christoph Kramer and winger Marcus Thuram, miss the match due to injuries.

To make things worse, side-back Stefan Lainer and attacking midfielder Lars Stindl are just one booking away from a suspension.

Where to watch Manchester City vs Borussia Monchengladbach live in India?

The Manchester City vs Borussia Monchengladbach UCL match will be telecast live at 1:30 AM IST on Sony TEN 1 SD, HD and Sony SIX TV channels in India, on Wednesday, February 17.

Live streaming of Manchester City vs Borussia Monchengladbach will be on SonyLIV along with other UEFA Champions League fixtures.

SportsAdda will bring you Manchester City vs Borussia Monchengladbach live scores.

For Manchester City vs Borussia Monchengladbach football odds and betting, visit Sportsbet.io and look under Top Events - International Clubs - UEFA Champions League.

Feature Image Courtesy: AFP/ Justin Setterfield

Bundesliga players including Jadon Sancho who staged protests during matches following the death of American man George Floyd will not be punished, the German Football Federation said on Wednesday.

In a statement, the DFB said "no action" would be taken against Borussia Dortmund players Sancho and Achraf Hakini, Schalke's US midfielder Weston McKennie and Borussia Moenchengladbach's French forward Marcus Thuram for "their symbols of solidarity".

"This line will also be taken should further players make demonstrations on racism and the death of Floyd over the course of upcoming matchdays," the DFB added.

After scoring in Dortmund's win at Paderborn on Sunday England winger Sancho lifted his shirt to reveal the message "Justice for George Floyd".

Read | Football community shows solidarity with #BlackLivesMatter

Floyd's death after a policeman kneeled on his neck for several minutes has sparked eight days of protests in the US cities.

Hakimi and McKennie expressed similar calls for justice, while Frenchman Thuram, the son of World Cup winner Lilian Thuram, took a knee after scoring for Gladbach in memory of Floyd, echoing similar protests against police brutality started by NFL player Colin Kaepernick in 2016.

On Tuesday, FIFA chief Gianni Infantino said that players demanding justice for Floyd,  should be applauded.

The DFB had launched their investigation into the players' tributes following guidelines from the sport's lawmakers, the International Football Association Board.

Read | Sancho, Hakimi join Thuram and McKennie in US killing protest

Feature image courtesy:  AFP / Lars Baron

England winger Jadon Sancho scored a hat-trick and revealed a "Justice for George Floyd" protest message in Borussia Dortmund's 6-1 rout of bottom side Paderborn on Sunday that trimmed Bayern Munich's lead at the top of the Bundesliga to seven points.

The outstanding Sancho, who now has 17 goals and 17 assists in the Bundesliga this season, joined a host of protests in the German top-flight over the weekend at the death of an unarmed black man in the United States.

Sancho later wrote on Instagram: "Delighted to get my first career hat trick, a bittersweet moment personally as there are more important things going on in the world today that we must address and help make a change."

Achraf Hakimi also joined Jadon Sancho in dedicating his goal to George Floyd:

Justice for George Floyd. pic.twitter.com/lKrt4MQZpV

�?FootballFunnys (@FootballFunnnys) May 31, 2020

Morocco international Achraf Hakimi lifted his jersey to deliver the same message as Sancho after scoring Dortmund's fourth goal at Paderborn.

George Floyd, 46, died in Minneapolis during an arrest by a police officer who pinned him to the ground for several minutes by kneeling on his neck, sparking protests across the US.

Marcus Thuram took a knee

Earlier on Sunday, Borussia Moenchengladbach's French forward Marcus Thuram took a knee to protest Floyd's death. Schalke's American midfielder Weston McKennie wore a "Justice for George" armband on Saturday.

Thuram's gesture echoed past protests by National Football League players in the US in support of the Black Lives Matter movement. 

Together is how we move forward, together is how we make a change #BLACK_LIVES_MATTERS pic.twitter.com/7OJUWqTLQZ

�?T I K U S (@MarcusThuram) May 31, 2020

Because of social distancing rules, goal celebrations were muted but after Thuram headed his team's second goal just before half time he took the opportunity to make a solitary statement, kneeling and bowing his head.

At half time, his club tweeted a photo with the caption: "No explanation needed."

After the game, Gladbach coach Marco Rose said Thuram had his backing.

"Marcus has made the point. He has set an example against racism that we all support," Rose said.

McKennie's 'Justice for George' armband

On Saturday, Schalke's American midfielder Weston McKennie wore a 'Justice for George' armband as part of the growing protests over the death of an unarmed black man during a police arrest in the United States.

@s04_en midfielder Weston McKennie @WMckennie wears an arm band in support of the late #GeorgeFloyd during a #Bundesliga match against @werderbremen_en #BundesligaIsBack #MinnesotaProtests #USMNT pic.twitter.com/EAB6OVXVSQ

�?Sulaiman Folarin (@sulaiman4real) May 30, 2020

"To be able to use my platform to bring attention to a problem that has been going on too long feels good!!!," tweeted 21-year-old McKennie.

"We have to stand up for what we believe in and I believe that it is time that we are heard."

Feature image courtesy: AFP / Lars Baron

After a two-month hiatus, football is set to resume this weekend, with the German Bundesliga returning to action. Bundesliga will be the first of the top five European leagues to return from suspension. And naturally, the fans are excited for footballing action to return to their TV screens. 

A lot of top-quality players will be taking the field starting this weekend. And ahead of the much-anticipated return of the Bundesliga, here are five players worth keeping an eye out for in the final leg of the 2019/20 campaign.

Robert Lewandowski (Bayern Munich) 

One of the most feared strikers in Europe, Robert Lewandowski may very well be on the wrong side of the thirties, but that hasn’t stopped him plundering goals in large numbers. The Poland international had been Bayern’s shining light in a difficult first half of the campaign and has continued to play an important role under new manager Hansi Flick, as Die Roten have mounted a strong comeback.

Third on the list of all-time leading goalscorers in the Bundesliga, Lewandowski has found the back of the net 25 times in 23 games this season, scoring at a rate of more than one goal per game. The 31-year-old also has three assists to go along with his goals.

Lewandowski finished the last two seasons as the top goalscorer in the Bundesliga, and given the form that he has shown and only Werner for competition, one wouldn’t bet against him to complete a hat-trick of Torjagerkanone.

Jadon Sancho (Borussia Dortmund) 

One of the most sought-after players heading into the summer transfer window, Borussia Dortmund star Jadon Sancho has had an exceptional 2019/20 campaign. The England international has grown into a superstar since joining the German outfit in 2017 and has been one of the key driving forces behind their push for the title this term.

The 20-year-old has contributed with 14 goals and 15 assists in the league this term. Only Lionel Messi of Barcelona and Lazio’s Ciro Immobile have been directly involved in more goals than the Dortmund winger in the top five leagues in Europe. 

A gifted dribbler possessing blistering pace, the England international backs it up with quality end product, making him a lethal presence on the field. His form will be key for Dortmund if they are to end the Bayern Munich monopoly in Bundesliga.

Timo Werner (RB Leipzig) 

The 24-year-old German international has grown into one of the most consistent goalscorers in Europe over the past couple of seasons. And as a result, he has attracted interest from a number of top clubs in the continent. There is no denying the importance of Timo Werner in the rapid rise of RB Leipzig as one of the top sides in Germany and a regular fixture in European football.

Under Julian Nagelsmann this season, the German striker has been leading RB Leipzig’s charge for the title, as they sit just five points below leaders Bayern Munich. Werner is the second-highest goalscorer in the Bundesliga this term, bagging 21 goals in 25 league outings while contributing with seven assists as well.

Werner’s pace and clinical finishing, coupled with his ability to play in wider roles make him a perfect fit in Nagelsmann’s team. And if Leipzig are to somehow topple both Bayern and Dortmund to the title, the former VfB Stuttgart man will, without a doubt, be the key man.

Kai Havertz (Bayer Leverkusen) 

Bayer Leverkusen, under Peter Bosz, have grown into one of the most exciting teams to watch due to their gung-ho attacking approach. And one of the key members that has helped this system work seamlessly is the 20-year-old attacking midfielder, Kai Havertz.

The Leverkusen academy man might not have been involved in as many goals as some of the players on this list, having contributed with six goals and five assists in 22 Bundesliga outings, but his value to the team goes far beyond these numbers. Havertz stands out on the field due to his intelligent movement, ability to pick a pass that unlocks defences, while also being incredibly versatile. 

Indeed, the youngster has been deployed in an array of roles by Bosz, starting from his preferred No. 10 role, to a false-nine, to a box-to-box midfielder, as well as a winger. And Havertz has thrived wherever he has been stationed. For Leverkusen to clinch a Champions League spot, the youngster, who has been linked with Chelsea and Liverpool, will have a pivotal role to play.

Alassane Plea (Borussia Monchengladbach)

The Frenchman has grown into a key player for Borussia Monchengladbach since joining the club in the summer of 2018. And he has once again been a top performer for the Foals this season, as they sit just six points behind leaders Bayern Munich.

Plea, so far this season, has scored eight goals and assisted seven more in 22 Bundesliga matches. Five of his eight goals have been match-winning efforts. Only Lewandowski and Wolfsburg’s Wout Weghorst have scored more match-winners than the 27-year-old forward in the German top-flight this term.

Plea’s exceptional positional awareness and movement in the final third make him an important player for the team, as he has that ability to drag defenders with him, creating gaps for his teammates. Gladbach truly have a quality player with great all-round qualities, who will be key for them to push for a top three finish.

Borussia Dortmund beat top-of-the-table Borussia Moenchengladbach 1-0 to jump to fourth in the Bundesliga on Saturday, level with Bayern Munich who earlier dropped points in a 2-2 draw at Augsburg.

The top of the Bundesliga grew even more congested with the top nine separated by just two points. Of the eight who have played so far this weekend, only Eintracht Frankfurt and Dortmund have won.

Gladbach remained top, ahead of Wolfsburg, who drew 1-1 at RB Leipzig, on goal difference. Both have 16 points from eight games.

Bayern, Dortmund and Leipzig are all one point behind.

Then come four teams on 14 points, including Freiburg, who could have gone top but lost 2-0 at Union Berlin, and Bayer Leverkusen, who could also have taken over first, but lost at Frankfurt on Friday.

Schalke have a chance to seize top spot when they visit Hoffenheim on Sunday.

In Dortmund, Thorgan Hazard's first-half strike for the home team against his former club was ruled out by VAR for a tight offside call.

Hazard then found a sprinting Marco Reus with a perfect through ball in the 58th minute. Reus slotted home for the only goal of the game.

Even though another Dortmund strike was erased by VAR in the 85th minute, the home team finished the game hanging on, adopting a back-five and even a back-six in added time to end a run of three successive draws.

"We are very, very happy that our efforts were rewarded with victory today. You could see that the game could have turned in the other direction," said Reus.

Coach Lucien Favre didn't hide his annoyance with the two tight VAR decisions that went against his side.

"That the two goals were not given is not good for football," lamented the Swiss coach.

Dortmund started without 19-year-old attacker Jadon Sancho who was dropped for "disciplinary reasons".

"Jadon is a great kid, but he is still very young," Dortmund director of football Michael Zorc told German television before kick-off.

"The decision was not easy, but there was no other choice. The suspension is only active for today."

German media reported Sancho had returned late from England duty.

Bayern slip up again

Bayern Image: AFP / Christof Stache

Reigning champions Bayern, meanwhile, slipped up for the second league match in succession, having lost 2-1 at home to Hoffenheim before the international break.

Augsburg grabbed a rapid lead -- just as they had in the corresponding fixture last year -- when Marco Richter found the net with a sweetly-struck volley just 30 seconds after kick-off, the fastest goal of the season so far.

Bayern replied as Robert Lewandowski stretched his scoring streak to eight games in the 14th minute from a Serge Gnabry cross.

After a host of missed chances, former Arsenal winger Gnabry then put Bayern 2-1 ahead after 49 minutes.

But a strong run in injury time by Sergio Cordova set up Alfred Finnbogason, who finished past Manuel Neuer to earn a point for Augsburg, and put another early dent in Bayern's title defence.

Thomas Mueller missed two chances after coming on as a late substitute after a week of controversy over the fact he has not started a game since September.

Timo Werner scored his first goal in five games for Leipzig in a tight tussle against Wolfsburg at the Red Bull Arena.

It was not enough. Wolfsburg scored a late equaliser when Dutch striker Wout Weghorst finished a William cross to keep the race at the top close.

Wolfsburg are the only unbeaten team in the division.

At the Weserstadion, Werder Bremen opened the scoring at home against Hertha Berlin as Josh Sargent's strike took a deflection on its way into the net in the seventh minute.

Dodi Lukebakio hit back in the 70th minute for Hertha to secure a 1-1 draw. He beat three defenders, including Theodor Gebre Selassie twice, in a mazy run from the wing.

Union Berlin claimed just the second win of their debut top-flight season by beating Freiburg at a bouncing Stadion an der Alten Foersterei.

Feature image courtesy: AFP / Ina Fassbender