Borussia Dortmund are closing in on Bayern Munich’s top spot after recent slip-ups from the league leaders as we enter the final set of fixtures in the season.
Borussia Dortmund head into the weekend with growing belief that the Bundesliga title race may not be over after all. A strong run of form has seen them slash Bayern Munich’s once-commanding lead at the top of the table, cutting the deficit to six points in just two matchdays.
The Bundesliga standings after MD20. 📊 pic.twitter.com/Bkf9BFk8Hv
— FC Bayern (@FCBayernEN) February 2, 2026
Bayern’s dominance earlier in the season was something for the history books, with the Bavarians producing the best opening half in Bundesliga history. However, recent cracks have appeared. A shock home defeat to Augsburg, their first league loss in ten months, followed by a gritty draw away in Hamburg, has slowed their momentum and opened the door for chasing rivals.
Dortmund have been the main beneficiaries of Bayern’s stumble. Niko Kovač’s side travels to a struggling Wolfsburg on Saturday, knowing a win would reduce the gap to just three points, at least temporarily. Bayern, meanwhile, face an in-form Hoffenheim side at home on Sunday, adding extra intrigue to a pivotal weekend.
The numbers underline Dortmund’s resurgence. Their 45 points from 20 matches mark their best return at this stage of the season since the 2018–19 campaign. Confidence is quietly building within the squad, particularly as a late-February showdown against Bayern Munich could alter the climate of the title race if they continue their fine form.
Despite the renewed optimism, Kovač remains cautious. Speaking ahead of the weekend, the Dortmund coach stressed the importance of focusing inward rather than obsessing over Bayern’s results. He insisted his team’s priority must be performance levels and consistency, not speculation about the title race.
Comeback complete! 🇬🇳 pic.twitter.com/GLA0RbRgDr
— Borussia Dortmund (@BlackYellow) February 1, 2026
That mindset is shaped by recent warning signs. Dortmund have flirted with danger in several matches, including last weekend’s 3–2 home win over bottom side Heidenheim and a narrow January victory over St Pauli that required a stoppage-time penalty. In total, they have dropped 10 league points after leading in the final 20 minutes,a margin that could yet prove decisive as we enter the latter stages of the season.
Some big ones. 🗓️😤 pic.twitter.com/couP09bWDe
— Borussia Dortmund (@BlackYellow) February 2, 2026
Bayern, however, face a stern test of their own against Hoffenheim, one of the season’s surprise packages. After going close to relegation last year, Hoffenheim now sit third and have won 11 of their last 14 league games. With Bayern juggling to be at their best across multiple competitions, coupled with a lean squad, Dortmund sense an opportunity to steal the Bundesliga title but only if they can keep delivering when it matters most.
