Preview: Haaland, Sancho key as Dortmund go to Gladbach
Reuters, , Thursday 5 Mar 2020


Erling Haaland and Jadon Sancho carry Borussia Dortmund's hopes of wining their first Bundesliga title since 2012 with their scintillating goal-scoring performances this year.

The Ruhr valley club are bidding to continue their stellar start to 2020, which has brought six wins out of seven league games since the winter break, when they travel to Borussia Moenchengladbach on Saturday.

Dortmund's run has helped them climb back up the table after a wobbly end to the year and they sit in third place, four points behind leaders Bayern Munich.

The 19-year-old Haaland took the league by storm after arriving in the winter break and became the first player in Bundesliga history to score nine goals in his first six league appearances before being rested last week.

His speed and raw power is again expected to be on full display against Moenchengladbach, who are led by Haaland's former Red Bull Salzburg coach Marco Rose.

Sancho has been even more impressive with 14 goals and 14 assists to his name amid widespread speculation he will be moving to the Premier League next season.

"I think he has the feeling that the club does have a good future," Borussia Dortmund CEO Hans-Joachim Watzke told the BBC.

"In my opinion, I don't think he wants to leave. It's not a question of money. We have enough money. We want to have titles. I think this team has a lot more potential with Jadon than without Jadon," he said.

Dortmund, in third place on 48 points behind Bayern and RB Leipzig, have won nine straight games against Gladbach.

They have scored 25 of their total 66 goals this season -- a club record -- since the start of 2020.

Gladbach could be without forward Marcus Thuram who is nursing a knee injury and missed training earlier in the week.

"This will be an absolute top game," Gladbach captain Lars Stindl said. "We are looking forward to it and we will have to go to our limits. We will also need a full stadium to push us forward."

Bayern, 6-0 winners at Hoffenheim last week, host fellow Bavarians Augsburg in Munich on Sunday after racking up six wins in seven league games this year.

Leipzig, on 49 points, travel to VfL Wolfsburg on Saturday.

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