Borussia Dortmund head into Saturday's Bundesliga Klassiker against Bayern Munich carrying genuine momentum after a hard-fought 3-2 DFB-Pokal victory over Werder Bremen, a result that keeps their cup ambitions alive and reinforces their standing as genuine title contenders this season.

The win was not straightforward. Werder levelled a 2-0 first-half lead before Marcel Sabitzer's late goal sealed the tie, and coach Niko Kovac was visibly frustrated by a penalty awarded against Julian Ryerson, which he described as clearly wrong. Kovac also took aim at the VAR's recent passivity, saying he expects a top-level performance from both the on-field referee and the video officials in Cologne on Saturday. The appointment of Tobias Stieler to replace the injured Daniel Siebert has added an extra layer of tension, given Stieler's disputed decisions in previous high-profile matches.

On the squad front, there is cautious optimism over teenage winger Karetsas, who returned to partial training on Thursday after a foot injury. Kovac confirmed a decision on his availability for Munich would follow Friday's session. The wider squad came through the Werder cup tie without fresh injury concerns.

The competitive stakes could hardly be higher. Dortmund sit second in the Bundesliga with 17 points, level with Bayern, separated only by goal difference. Victory at the Allianz Arena on Saturday would put them top of the table and send a clear statement about their title credentials.