Top Match Preview: Thiago tipped to dominate Der Klassiker

‘The Magician’s Returned’. Xabi Alonso summed up Thiago Alcantara’s return to the game simply and effectively. After over a year out for the Spaniard with a knee problem, the Bayern Munich man made his first appearance of the 2014/15 season in April, replacing Philipp Lahm with 20 minutes to go as Bayern secured a 1-0 win at Borussia Dortmund on their way to the title. Fast forward to the present day and the 25-year-old is firing on all cylinders. 

Coming into the weekend, with Dortmund and Bayern set to renew rivalries in the latest installment of Der Klassiker, Thiago is the highest rated player in the Bundesliga this season with a WhoScored rating of 7.86. Pep Guardiola brought the midfielder to Germany, but the Spain international started only 29 of a possible 102 league games under the now-Manchester City boss. Guardiola was never truly afforded the luxury of a fully fit Thiago during his time at the Allianz Arena and it goes without saying that his successor Carlo Ancelotti is benefitting from the Spaniard’s availability. 

Thiago has played a central role in Bayern’s assent to the summit of the Bundesliga, albeit on goal difference, in Ancelotti’s favoured 4-3-3 formation. With Xabi Alonso the anchor in the middle and one of Arturo Vidal or Renato Sanches providing the high-octane, energetic presence in the middle of the park, Thiago is tasked with controlling proceedings from the midfield. With Vidal set to be assessed prior to kick off following international duty, his possible absence only increases Thiago's importance. 

Bayern are currently averaging the most possession (64.7%) in Europe’s top five leagues this season, so it's no coincidence that Thiago ranks top for accurate passes (774) in the Bundesliga. Alonso allows for Bayern to successfully play the ball out from defence, but it’s Thiago’s influence in the midfield that means the champions dominate opponents. Indeed, 94.6 passes per game ranks second in Europe’s top five leagues this season, further signifying his importance as Bayern strive to starve their opponents of possession. 

The midfielder’s influence will be all the more important against a Dortmund side whose gameplan has changed upon the appointment of Thomas Tuchel. Rather than soak up pressure before hitting opponents on the counter attack as they so often did under Jurgen Klopp, Tuchel demands his players take the game to opponents, with their possession (63.6%) the second highest in Europe. Die Schwarzgelben no longer run themselves into the ground as they did at the end of Klopp's tenure, but intelligently use their energy at the right time in order to inflict maximum damage. 

Klopp’s Dortmund also struggled in the former bosses final campaign when the onus was on them to attack teams, with Tuchel’s decision to alter the approach highlighting his versatility in management. That being said, Dortmund have struggled to match the heights of 'FC Hollywood' this season, with Tuchel’s team six points behind an unbeaten Bayern coming into this clash. Having being forced into selling key men Mats Hummels, Ilkay Gundogan and Henrikh Mkhitaryan over the summer, though, a stuttering start to the campaign was to be expected, with Tuchel managing the situation sufficiently to now. 

Yet, a merely sufficient job against Bayern will hardly suffice given the frosty relationship between the two teams. Tuchel has failed to overcome Bayern on the four times he has faced the defending champions but the general consensus has been that the Bavarians have been far from their best this season. With the Dortmund boss willing to readily tinker with his tactics, as Guardiola frequently did during his time as Bayern manager, Tuchel boasts the managerial capacity to outdo opposite number Ancelotti on home turf this weekend. 

Saturday’s Klassiker promises to be one of the more intriguing installments of the rivalry given the contrasting circumstances between the two teams despite similar approaches. Both Dortmund and Bayern have the personnel to secure victory, but it’s the latter who perhaps have the upper hand in that regard given Thiago’s strong start to the campaign. With Dortmund favouring a possession based approach, his ball retention qualities are essential in order to limit their time on it. 

Thiago has been dispossessed just 11 times in nine Bundesliga appearances this season - a hugely impressive return for a midfielder - while of the 48 players to attempt 20 or more dribbles, his success rate (67.9%) is the third best in Germany’s top tier this term. With a willingness to get on the ball to drive the team forward - Thiago’s had more touches (1024) than any other Bundesliga player this season - his impact in the middle of the pitch could prove to be the difference between victory and defeat for Bayern this weekend. 

For more stats on Dortmund-Bayern, click here to head to WhoScored.com's preview page

There is expected to be no love lost in Saturday’s Klassiker and with calm heads required, Thiago is just the man Bayern need to keep things ticking over in the middle of the park. His composure in possession and commendable reading of the game means the result could well be determined on whether the midfielder can maintain his fine start to the season.