Borussia Dortmund have reignited the Bundesliga title race after cutting Bayern Munich’s lead at the top of the table by five points in just two matchdays.

Once considered runaway leaders after the strongest opening half-season in Bundesliga history, Bayern now find themselves under renewed pressure. A shock home defeat to Augsburg — their first league loss in 10 months — followed by a hard-fought draw in Hamburg last weekend has opened the door for Dortmund to close the gap.

Niko Kovac’s side now sit six points behind the champions and could move to within three points with victory away at an unsteady Wolfsburg on Saturday. Bayern, meanwhile, host high-flying Hoffenheim a day later.

A Dortmund win would increase the pressure on the Bavarian giants, who are competing on three fronts this season. The Ruhr club’s current tally of 45 points from 20 matches is their best return at this stage since the 2018–19 campaign.

The stakes could rise further when Dortmund host Bayern in late February, a fixture that is growing in importance as the title race tightens.

Despite the momentum, Kovac has urged his players to remain focused on their own performances.

“We can only control what we do,” he said on Thursday. “We can’t decide the fate of others. We’re six points behind and only play Bayern once, but if there’s more at stake, you can be sure we’ll give everything.”

Dortmund’s only league defeat this season came against Bayern, a narrow 2-1 loss in which they created several chances to earn at least a point. However, recent matches have highlighted areas for improvement.

In last weekend’s 3-2 home win over bottom side Heidenheim, Dortmund fell behind and were fortunate not to drop points late on. A similar pattern emerged in January against St Pauli, when they needed a stoppage-time penalty despite leading by two goals.

“As a coach, I focus on the performance, not just the result,” Kovac added.

Indeed, Dortmund’s failure to see out games has cost them dearly. The 2024 Champions League finalists have dropped 10 points this season after leading inside the final 20 minutes of matches. Converting those leads could have left them much closer to Bayern.

Meanwhile, Bayern face a stern test against Hoffenheim, who have surged to third place after flirting with relegation last season. They have won 11 of their last 14 league matches, losing just once.

One to Watch: Grischa Prömel (Hoffenheim)

At the heart of Hoffenheim’s rise has been midfielder Grischa Prömel. The 31-year-old has featured in all 20 league games this season, scoring six goals and providing two assists.

His consistent performances have even sparked talk of a potential Germany call-up for the 2026 World Cup, though Prömel insists he remains focused on the present.

“Bayern are in a league of their own,” he told the Bundesliga website. “But the most important thing is that we believe in ourselves and know we can take something from Munich.”

Key Stats

22 – Harry Kane’s 22 Bundesliga goals are tied with Kylian Mbappé for the highest tally across Europe’s top five leagues, despite the Frenchman playing one more match.

73 – Dortmund have collected 73 points from 34 league games under Kovac, a total that would have won the title in 2022–23.

50,000 – FC Cologne’s Under-19s set a new UEFA Youth League attendance record this week, selling out the Müngersdorfer Stadium.

With momentum building and Bayern showing rare vulnerability, Dortmund now have a genuine opportunity to keep the Bundesliga title race alive in the weeks ahead.