Dortmund looking to go second

Published Oct. 14, 2011 1:00 a.m. ET

foxsports

Bundesliga champions Borussia Dortmund will be bidding to move up to second in the standings at the expense of hosts Werder Bremen on Friday night.

The first fixture after a fortnight's break for international matches is a top-of-the-table clash between the side who won the title last season and one who is fighting for the title almost every term.

Bremen did not live up to these expectations last season, but they are now in second place - three points behind leaders Bayern Munich - and back to their normal form, according to Dortmund coach Jurgen Klopp.

"This is the Bremen that we all know," he said at the pre-match press conference.

"They are extremely strong, very active in possession - a top team in the Bundesliga like they have been for many years.

"They are the comeback of the year."

A victory for Dortmund at the Weser Stadion may only take them up to second for a night, though.

On Saturday, third-placed Borussia Monchengladbach host Bayer Leverkusen in another tussle between two sides separated by just three points in the table.

Fourth-placed Schalke are also in action on Saturday, with Huub Stevens' second league game in charge coming against Kaiserslautern.

Bayern remain on top, though, despite seeing their 10-game winning streak come to an end with a 0-0 draw against Hoffenheim a fortnight ago.

They host Hertha Berlin, who have already upset Dortmund, Cologne and Stuttgart this season and will not be such an easy proposition for the Bavarians.

Elsewhere, Augsburg go in search of their first Bundesliga victory at Mainz while Stuttgart host Hoffenheim in a Baden-Wurttemberg derby.

Wolfsburg entertain Nurnberg while Cologne welcome Hannover to the Mungersdorfer Stadion on Sunday.

Sunday's other game is between Freiburg and Hamburg, although new HSV coach Thorsten Fink will not be at the stadium, despite it being just a half-hour's drive from Basle, where he will be packing his bags in preparation for a move to northern Germany from the Swiss champions.