PREVIEW: Dortmund show rivals Schalke the way

Borussia Dortmund and Schalke 04 meet in a Bundesliga classic Friday evening to kick off the weekend league programme.

   The match between the traditional rivals from the Ruhr is one of several city and regional derby matches which include Sunday's meeting of Hamburg rivals SV Hamburg and St Pauli.

   Less than 30 kilometres separate the Dortmund and Schalke stadiums, but the teams are far apart in the league, with leaders Dortmund on 50 points - exactly double their rival's tally.

   Dortmund have gone from record to record this season with a young team, while Schalke have struggled to integrate their many new signings under coach and manager Felix Magath.

   Since Magath took over in July 2009, 40 players have come and 34 have gone, and his latest acquisitions - Greek striker Angelos Charisteas and Iranian midfielder Ali Karimi - have left many fans shaking their heads.

   Neither 30-year-old Charisteas nor 32-year-old Karimi - both former Bundesliga players who were out of contract - are inspiring much excitement in Gelsenkirchen, and Magath could well feel the fury of the Schalke faithful if his side goes down against their old foes.

   Dortmund coach Juergen Klopp however warns his team to expect a hard fight against opponents who have the better record in the derby duels stretching back to May 1925.

   "We've heard the mood at our opponents is not so good. But it's easier to cause a surprise if expectations are not so high," Klopp said.

   A win for Dortmund would give them an overnight 14-point lead over Bayer Leverkusen who visit Nuremberg on Saturday, while third placed Bayern Munich - three points further behind - travel to lowly Cologne.

   Following his move from Leverkusen, Germany striker Patrick Helmes could make his debut for Wolfsburg who visit fifth-placed northern neighbours Hanover.

   Helmes, who has to fill the shoes of the departed Edin Dzeko, may not be the only debutant for a new-look Wolfsburg whose last-minute January shopping trip included the purchases of Czech international midfielder Jan Polak and Turkey midfielder Tuncay Sanli.

   Werder Bremen's difficult programme continues with a visit to fourth-placed Mainz, who are level on points with Bayern Munich.

   Four defeats in five league games have left Bremen fourth from bottom but coach Thomas Schaaf continues to have the full backing of the board.

   The northerners will be without keeper Tim Wiese, who is suspended following his red card in the 3-1 defeat to Bayern Munich last week, but could give a debut to Brazilian defender Samuel, one of three January signings.

   The two bottom sides, Borussia Moenchengladbach and VfB Stuttgart, face off in a match neither can afford to lose.

   Both are three points adrift of third-last Cologne and while Moenchengladbach have not won at home this season, Stuttgart are looking for their first win on the road.

   "All of us are aware in what a dangerous situation we're in," said Stuttgart midfielder Christian Gentner.

   "This is a decisive game in the fight to stay up and we'll be doing everything possible to bring the three points home with us."

   Elsewhere Saturday, Hoffenheim greet Kaiserslautern, while the Hamburg derby is the highlight Sunday when Freiburg also meet Eintracht Frankfurt.