Marco Reus waved farewell to Borussia Dortmund after Champions League agony on Saturday, with former team-mate Roman Burki expecting the Germany veteran to join him in MLS.

Burki ended a seven-year stay with Dortmund in 2022, switching the Bundesliga for MLS football as the goalkeeper joined the newly created St. Louis City.

The St. Louis goalkeeper faced Lionel Messi, Sergio Busquets, Luis Suarez and Jordi Alba in Sunday's 3-3 draw with Inter Miami, and hinted that the league could soon welcome another European star.

"I talked to Marco Reus ahead of the Champions League game, I texted, we didn't talk about the move then because he was obviously focused on the game, but Major League Soccer has a very good chance of seeing him next year or the summer," Burki told ESPN.

"I can't tell which team, I am still trying [to convince him] but at some point it's up to [sporting director] Lutz [Pfannenstiel] and [club owner] Carolyn [Kindle] to make a move."

Reus leaves Dortmund after 12 years with the German side, signing off with a heartbreaking 2-0 defeat against Real Madrid in the Champions League final at Wembley Stadium.

Previous reports have suggested Reus could make the switch to the United States, opening up the potential for a reunion with Burki.

St. Louis head coach Bradley Carnell would love to bring the pair back together, though warned that the move is not guaranteed.

"Every time there is a transfer window opening, whether it's our club or not, everyone gets names thrown out at them. We've had plenty of names, whether it's to join now or in six months," Carnell told ESPN.

"We go through our lists, and we see if it makes sense or not. When we are in the position that we are in, sure maybe something comes around.

"The Marco Reus rumours are flattering, it would be something interesting for the league and our team. It's one of Roman's best friends, it would be a nice fairytale story.

"But sometimes reality is far from that. We're working ways and figuring things out, but right now there's nothing to be said about the Marco Reus rumour. But the window opens up pretty soon."

St. Louis owner Kindle echoed Carnell's sentiment, adding: "It's absolutely amazing [being linked to Reus.] In full disclosure, it's difficult to separate fact from fiction.

"Sometimes I call and ask about the rumours, but I thought it would take us three to five years to get to this point of being linked to these figures and we're on year two and these rumours are amazing."

Borussia Dortmund's hopes of sending Marco Reus off with a Champions League title ended in heartbreak as they lost 2-0 to Real Madrid on Saturday.

After 12 years with his boyhood club, Reus announced the Wembley showpiece would be his final match for Dortmund.

But despite a dominant first-half performance, they could not beat the serial winners, who scored two late goals through Dani Carvajal and Vinicius Junior to win their 15th European crown.

Edin Terzic’s side were given just a 21.4 per cent chance of victory by the Opta supercomputer before kick-off, but they came out of the blocks quickly with the aim of flipping the script.

Dortmund’s expected goals (xG) figure of 1.68 in the opening period was the largest by a team in the first half of a Champions League final on record (since 2013-14), and was also the highest by an opponent against Madrid in the first half this term.

Their two big chances fell to Niclas Fullkrug and Karim Adeyemi, the former striking the post and the latter forcing a good save out of Thibaut Courtois, having earlier wasted a one-on-one chance with the Belgian goalkeeper.

The German team were solid in defence too, forcing Madrid into half-time without having a single shot on target – the first time that has happened to any team in a Champions League final since Tottenham versus Liverpool in 2019.

Julian Brandt looked to be key for the Black and Yellow, creating four chances, the most in a Champions League final since Luka Modric against Atletico Madrid in 2015-16 (seven), though that tally would be equalled by Toni Kroos in the second half.

Reus was brought on for his 424th and final BVB appearance in the 72nd minute, hoping to sign off in the perfect way, but it was another departing German that soon caught the eye.

Kroos, playing for Madrid for the last time ahead of his retirement, set up Carvajal for Madrid’s opener just two minutes later.

Gregor Kobel saved 46 of the 56 shots on target he faced this season in the competition, and he made three big stops to keep Dortmund in the contest at 1-0.

However, an Ian Maatsen mistake led to Madrid’s second, with Dortmund conceding in the final 15 minutes of a Champions League game for the first time this campaign as Jude Bellingham slipped in Vinicius to convert.

Dortmund have now only won one of their last five finals in major European competitions (3-1 versus Juventus in the 1997 Champions League), losing each of their last three in a row (against Feyenoord in 2002, Bayern Munich in 2013 and Madrid in 2024).

The biggest game of the European club season is upon us, as Borussia Dortmund and Real Madrid face off for the Champions League trophy at Wembley Stadium.

It's fair to say Edin Terzic's side were not expected to get this far, particularly when they were drawn into a tough group containing Paris Saint-Germain, Milan and Newcastle United.

However, they passed that test with flying colours before seeing off PSV, Atletico Madrid and PSG – for a second time – to book their ticket to Wembley, where they suffered final heartache against Bayern Munich 11 years ago.

Madrid, on the other hand, always expect to feature in this game.

They have had to do things the hard way this term, coming from behind in heavyweight ties against Manchester City and Bayern to emerge as favourites for a record-extending 15th European crown.

Jude Bellingham has been their talisman in his first season after leaving Dortmund, being crowned LaLiga's Player of the Season after leading Los Blancos to their 36th domestic title.

Few would bet against him having a decisive impact upon his return to England on Saturday.

The game will also represent a swansong for two iconic figures in German football, as Marco Reus prepares to leave Dortmund after 12 years and Toni Kroos plays the final game of his glittering club career.

Two DFB-Pokal wins are all Reus has to show for his distinguished spell with BVB, having also missed Germany's 2014 World Cup win due to injury. Kroos, on the other hand, could cap his career with a record-equalling sixth European crown, with his first coming with Bayern against Dortmund.

Whoever lifts the trophy, expect emotional scenes. 

What's expected?

Unsurprisingly, given their continental pedigree, Real Madrid enter Saturday's showpiece game as favourites, with the Opta supercomputer giving them a 55.6 per cent chance of victory inside 90 minutes.

Dortmund are assigned just a 21.4 per cent chance of claiming the trophy within regulation time, with 23 per cent of simulations seeing the final go to extra time and potentially penalties.

This will be Madrid's 18th appearance in a European Cup or Champions League final, with their 17 previous finals already the most of any club. They have lifted the trophy on 14 of those 17 appearances.

Dortmund, meanwhile, are making just their third appearance in a Champions League final, having overcome Juventus 3-1 in 1997 before losing 2-1 to Bayern in 2013. This will be the first Champions League final between a Spanish team and a German team since 2002, when Los Blancos overcame Bayer Leverkusen 2-1.

Only Man City (28) have bettered Madrid's 26 goals in this season's edition of the Champions League, while only City (25.1) and PSG (24.9) have topped their total of 24.3 expected goals (xG). Dortmund rank seventh for goals scored (17) and eighth for xG (15.2), with both finalists outperforming their underlying attacking metrics in the competition, Dortmund by 1.8 and Madrid by 1.7.

It is at the other end where BVB might have been a little fortunate. Their average of 1.9 expected goals against (xGA) per Champions League game in 2023-24 is the highest of any team to progress beyond the group stage, and they have been indebted to goalkeeper Gregor Kobel. 

According to Opta's expected goals on target (xGoT) model, he has prevented 7.1 goals in the Champions League this term, conceding seven times from 14.1 xGoT faced. Madrid, meanwhile, have conceded 15 times from 15.6 xGA.  

Sancho to cap underdog story?

When Jadon Sancho was unceremoniously exiled from the Manchester United squad by Erik ten Hag last September, few would have expected to see him play in European football's biggest game within the same season. 

Sancho was initially slow to get going upon his loan return to the Westfalenstadion in January, but he has found his feet in recent months, particularly in Europe.

The winger produced a talismanic display in the first leg of Dortmund's semi-final triumph over PSG and has completed 25 dribbles across his six Champions League appearances this season.

That is the most by any player in the knockout stages of a single edition of the tournament since Neymar recorded 32 for losing finalists PSG in 2019-20.

Should Sancho inspire Terzic's men to victory, it will go down as one of the greatest comeback stories in recent memory.

Moreover, having finished fifth in the Bundesliga, Dortmund will be the second-lowest ranked German team to ever compete in a European Cup/Champions League final, after Bayern won the 1974-75 edition while finishing 10th domestically. 

Fans of an underdog story will be right behind Sancho and Dortmund on Saturday.

Is Madrid's name on the trophy?

When Carlo Ancelotti led Madrid to their most recent European crown in 2021-22, it sometimes felt like a greater force was at work.

Los Blancos came from behind in three successive knockout ties against PSG, Chelsea and City, pulling off increasingly unlikely rescue acts to reach the showpiece game in Paris, where Thibaut Courtois' heroics set the stage for Vinicius Junior to down Liverpool.

There has been a greater degree of control about Madrid this season, but their European aura certainly remains intact. 

Madrid have only trailed for 7.5 per cent of their total game time in the Champions League this season (90 minutes out of 1,200), the lowest percentage of any side. 

They have, however, fought back to win four matches in which they've been behind in the competition this term, with only Barcelona in 1999-00 and Madrid themselves in 2016-17 (five each) having more comeback wins in a single edition.

The most memorable of those saw Joselu's late brace dump Bayern Munich out in the semi-finals, but they also had to hold firm to keep RB Leipzig and City at bay in their previous knockout ties.

Teams are advised to play the game rather than the occasion, but Madrid often find something extra when it matters most in a tournament they regard as their own.

PREVIOUS MEETING

The teams last faced each other in the Champions League in 2017-18, with Los Blancos winning both games in the group stage, triumphing 3-1 away and 3-2 at home.

Neither side has previously managed to win three straight European games against the other, though.

Dortmund did memorably overcome Madrid en route to their last Champions League final in 2013, with Robert Lewandowski scoring all four goals in a 4-1 first-leg triumph before they held on in the second leg, a 2-0 defeat sending them through 4-3 on aggregate. 

However, BVB have only won three of their 14 previous Champions League meetings with Madrid overall, drawing five and losing six.  

Among teams they have faced at least five times in the competition, only against City (17 per cent) do they have a lower win percentage than versus Madrid (21 per cent).

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Borussia Dortmund: Mats Hummels 

Dortmund have had to stand firm in the face of pressure en route to the final, and if they are to overcome the might of Madrid, another solid rearguard action will be required.

Hummels has not missed a single minute of Champions League football this season, and he could become the first outfielder to be ever-present for the eventual winners since Cristiano Ronaldo for Madrid in 2017-18.

Like departing team-mate Reus, he could appear in his second Champions League final 11 years on from his first. Juventus icon Gianluigi Buffon (12 years between 2003 and 2015) was the last player to appear in two showpiece games with a longer wait between them.

Real Madrid: Jude Bellingham

Who else but former Dortmund star Bellingham?

The England international has earned a reputation as a player for the big occasions this season, and few would bet against him having a decisive impact against his old club at Wembley.

He has created more chances while under pressure (19) than any other midfielder in this season's Champions League, with four of those resulting in assists. The only player to provide more assists while under pressure from at least one opposition player in the 2023-24 tournament is Dortmund's Marcel Sabitzer (five).

Just as importantly, Bellingham never shirks his off-the-ball work. He has made the most high-intensity pressures of any player in the 2023-24 Champions League overall (572) and in the knockout stages specifically (344).

Long considered one of the most talented players of his generation, Borussia Dortmund's Marco Reus has failed to taste major success throughout an injury-plagued career, but he is desperate to leave his boyhood club as a Champions League winner.

The 34-year-old is leaving Dortmund after 12 years at the club and hopes to do so on a high by beating Real Madrid in the Champions League final at Wembley stadium on Saturday.

"Borussia Dortmund means everything for me," Reus said this week. "When you are 12 years at a club then it just has to mean everything."

The former Germany international, who also spent a decade at the Ruhr Valley club as a youth player, has scored 170 goals in 428 matches for Dortmund.

Known for his sublime skills, goalscoring ability and clever play, Reus has been dubbed a "living legend" by Dortmund coach Edin Terzic, having captained the team for five years and won the DFB-Pokal on two occasions.

However, those remain the only major titles of his career, which has been continually hampered by fitness problems. 

He missed out on Germany's 2014 World Cup win after suffering an injury in their final warm-up game, while other injuries ruled him out of Euro 2016 and the 2022 World Cup.

Reus also lost out on the Bundesliga trophy in 2023 when Dortmund slipped up against Mainz on the final matchday.

"Marco was 12 years here as a pro and also as a youth. He is not yet done," said coach Terzic. 

"In London he wants to experience an amazing game with a positive outcome so as to complete the circle.

"I need him on Saturday. I need his qualities because he has this experience and he has played on this stage before."

Reus is no stranger to a Champions League final or to Wembley, having lost the 2013 showcase game there, against Bayern Munich.

"That was 11 years ago. Now it is a different opponent and different players," Reus said.

"There are worse ways to complete your career at a club than to start with a Champions League final in 2013 and end it with a Champions League final in 2024."

Marco Reus scored and assisted in his final Bundesliga game for Borussia Dortmund as they thrashed already-relegated Darmstadt 4-0. 

The German teed up Ian Maatsen for the opener on the half-hour mark before scoring a stunning free-kick eight minutes later to put Dortmund in control.

Donyell Malen scored his 13th goal of the season to round things off after substitute Julian Brandt had latched onto Jadon Sancho's ball for a third.

Dortmund could have had more as Reus, Malen and Marcel Sabitzer struck the woodwork in either half, but it did not matter as Darmstadt struggled to show a threat.

Edin Terzic's side finished fifth in the final Champions League spot, while Darmstadt are relegated as the bottom club. 

Data Debrief:

Reus has been directly involved in 251 goals in the Bundesliga (156G 95A in 391 games), making him just the third player to reach 250 goals and assists since his Bundesliga debut in August 2009, behind Thomas Müller 318 and Robert Lewandowski 367.

The German bids farewell to Signal Iduna Park having scored nine goals and assisting seven in all competitions this season, though he will be hoping to add to that tally in his final match for Dortmund - the Champions League final against Real Madrid on June 1.

Edin Terzic warned Borussia Dortmund must swiftly forget about their Champions League heroics in Paris after a 3-0 humbling by Mainz on Saturday.

Lee Jae-Sung twice punished a sloppy Dortmund performance after Leandro Barreiro had opened the scoring for relegation-battling Mainz in their Bundesliga clash.

That abject performance came after BVB managed a 1-0 away victory against Paris Saint-Germain, progressing to the Champions League final after a 2-0 aggregate victory over Luis Enrique's side.

Dortmund head coach Terzic was far from impressed after defeat against Mainz left his side four points adrift of fourth-placed RB Leipzig in the German top flight.

"Let's let Paris be Paris and talk about last week and this week," Terzic told Sky Sport Germany.

"The starting position was similar to last week. Except now we were always late and outnumbered.

"It was a deserved defeat, especially because of the first half."

Marco Reus echoed Terzic's sentiment after Dortmund came crashing back down to earth following their European success.

"If you see the first half, it's deserved, even at the highest level," the Dortmund veteran added.

"We expect more from ourselves. There was still a lot at stake for Mainz.

"It was important for us to continue to gain self-confidence. That just was not good today. This is a pity."

Dortmund will hope to respond when they host Darmstadt next Saturday before their Champions League final against Real Madrid on June 1 at Wembley Stadium.

Mats Hummels sees no reason why Borussia Dortmund cannot go on and win the Champions League following their hard-earned semi-final victory over Paris Saint-Germain.

The Black and Yellow are through to the final of Europe's premier club competition for only the third time after sealing a 2-0 aggregate over the reigning Ligue 1 champions, who struck the woodwork six times across both legs.

After Niclas Fullkrug settled last week's first leg at Signal Iduna Park, Hummels' second-half header was the difference in the return at Parc des Princes, where Edin Terzic's side produced another defensive masterclass as they claimed their sixth clean sheet in this season's competition. 

Dortmund, who lifted the trophy 27 years ago, will face either Real Madrid or Bayern Munich in the final at Wembley on June 1, and Hummels is confident he and his team-mates can go all the way.

"I've scored far too few Champions League goals in my career, just five," he told DAZN via Uefa.com. "Now is a good time to add to that number.

"Since the second match of the group stage, we've believed that we could prevail in every game - and I don't see why we shouldn't win at Wembley now.

"We remained active today and were able to take so much pace out of the game and atmosphere out of the stadium. That was our recipe for success today."

Hummels was part of the Dortmund side beaten 2-1 by Bayern in their most recent Champions League final appearance in 2013, along with Marco Reus.

The veteran midfielder announced last week that he would be leaving the club at the end of this season, and is thrilled to have one more crack at landing the biggest trophy in European club football. 

"[It is] indescribable," he told DAZN. "After more than 10 years, I am in the final with Borussia again. Ousmane [Dembele] and Achraf [Hakimi] brought a tremendous amount of pace, and we suffered a lot.

"How we won the game, no-one will ask tomorrow. Shots against the post won’t matter tomorrow. What counts is that Borussia Dortmund are in the final again. Nobody expected this. It's just incredible."

Meanwhile Terzic, who saw his side surrender the Bundesliga title on the final day of last season, saluted the strides his players have made as the competition has progressed.

"Before the first game against PSV [in the round of 16], we talked for the first time about how short the journey to London could be," he said. "Back then, many were still puzzled. Last season, we lost the championship at home on the last matchday.

"I'm happy that we can now give something back to the fans. We've grown with every game and eventually realised that we could be the team that surprises everyone in the end. Now, I'm very happy to be in the final with my team."

Borussia Dortmund's Marco Reus will leave the club after 12 years at the end of the season but a Champions League final at Wembley would see his career at the Ruhr valley club come full circle, said coach Edin Terzic said on Saturday.

Reus scored once and set up two more goals in their 5-1 win over Augsburg on Saturday as Dortmund prepare to face Paris Saint-Germain in their return leg in France on Tuesday after their 1-0 first leg win in Germany earlier this week.

The Germans, Champions League winners in 1997, are hoping to make their first final in the competition since 2013 when they lost to Bayern Munich at Wembley.

A return to that stadium for this year's final would be a fitting finale for Reus' Dortmund career, Terzic said.

"Yes, a cycle would close," Terzic said. "It was in his first season at Dortmund that he played at Wembley and it would be perfect to return there," Terzic told a press conference.

"He is a living legend. He has put all other stories in the shadow today.

"What I wish is that the Marco Reus festival lasts for another month and we experience a few more games together," Terzic said.

The 34-year-old, who joined in 2012 and also spent a decade at the Ruhr Valley club as a youth player, has scored 169 goals in 425 matches for Dortmund while setting up another 130.

Reus won two German Cups but did not collect any other major titles, agonisingly missing out on his first ever Bundesliga trophy last season on the final matchday.

Dortmund are in fifth place in the Bundesliga with two games remaining. They were at risk of missing out on Champions League football next season before their win over PSG sealed a fifth spot for Germany in next season's competition.

Borussia Dortmund demolished Augsburg 5-1 in the Bundesliga on Saturday in a perfect dress rehearsal ahead of next week's Champions League semi-final return leg at Paris Saint-Germain.

Dortmund, who face PSG on Tuesday after their 1-0 first leg win in Germany earlier this week, enjoyed a whirlwind start with three goals in the first 29 minutes.

Youssoufa Moukoko struck either side of Doneyll Malen's 20th minute goal to quickly put the game to bed.

Augsburg cut the deficit in the 32nd minute with Ruben Vargas but the visitors restored their three-goal cushion through Marco Reus, who will leave the club after 12 years at the end of the season, in the 34th.

He then delivered his second assist of the game for Felix Nmecha to make it 5-1 in the 64th.

Reus, aged 34 years and 339 days, is the oldest player to be directly involved in three-or-more goals in a Bundesliga match since Bayern Munich's Franck Ribery against Wolfsburg in March 2019.

Dortmund, who have secured a Champions League spot for next season, are in fifth place on 60 points, three behind fourth-placed RB Leipzig.

Marco Reus will leave Borussia Dortmund when his contract expires at the end of the season, the club have announced. 

Reus, a Dortmund native, first joined the club in 1995 and spent 10 years in their youth ranks before joining Rot Weiss Ahlen, who he left for Borussia Monchengladbach in 2009.

After three impressive seasons with Gladbach, Reus returned to Dortmund in a €17million deal in 2012 and has made 424 appearances for the club across all competitions.

That puts him fourth in BVB's all-time charts behind Michael Zorc (561), Mats Hummels (504) and Roman Weidenfeller (445), while his 168 goals in black and yellow have only been bettered by Alfred Preissler, who scored 177 in two spells between 1945 and 1959, before the Bundesliga was founded.

Reus, who has won the DFB-Pokal on two occasions with Dortmund and helped them reach the Champions League final in his first season upon returning in 2012-13, was also club captain between 2018 and 2023.

As news of his impending departure was made public, he said his full focus is on ensuring his final game with the club is June's Champions League final at Wembley Stadium.

"I'm incredibly grateful for and proud of this special time at my club Borussia Dortmund," the 34-year-old said.

"I have spent more than half of my life at this club and enjoyed every day, even though there have of course been difficult moments too. 

"I already know now that I will find it difficult to say goodbye at the end of the season, and yet I'm happy that there is now clarity and that we can focus fully on the very important final games that we still have to play. 

"We have a big objective in our sights that we all want to achieve together. To do so, we will need every single one of our unbelievable fans, to whom I would like to express my sincere thanks for their unbelievable support over the years."

Reus came on as a late substitute as Dortmund beat Paris Saint-Germain 1-0 in the first leg of their semi-final tie on Wednesday, with Niclas Fullkrug scoring the only goal of the game.

Marco Reus committed to a new one-year contract with Borussia Dortmund on Thursday as the captain targeted Bundesliga glory.

The 33-year-old Dortmund stalwart wants to begin next season with a championship to defend, having agreed to stay on to the end of the 2023-24 campaign.

It will be his 12th season as a Dortmund first-team player, and possibly his last.

Dortmund-born Reus emerged through the club's ranks before spending six seasons away at Rot Weiss Ahlen and Borussia Monchengladbach, but since rejoining BVB in 2012 he has been a pivotal figure.

As Dortmund noted when announcing his extension, Reus is 16 short of Adi Preissler's record of 177 goals for the club, which may be a target.

Reus sent a message to supporters, saying: "As a team, we – just like all of our fans – have a big goal on our minds right now which our full focus is on: we want to become German champions; to do that, we'll need every single Borusse.

"But beyond that, I still really want to do my best for the club I've spent over half my life with. There's still nothing better for me than scoring goals in front of the best fans in the world in the most beautiful stadium in the world and celebrating victories together.

"That's why I'm happy I've extended my contract for another year, because I've always said there's no other club I'd prefer to play for over BVB in my career."

Dortmund top the Bundesliga by one point from Bayern Munich, with five rounds of games remaining.

Reus has been unlucky with injuries at times in his career, never more so than when he missed Germany's triumphant World Cup campaign in 2014 due to an ankle injury sustained just days before the tournament began.

Dortmund CEO Hans-Joachim Watzke described Reus as "supremely ambitious to lead our BVB to its greatest objectives", while sporting director Sebastian Kehl was delighted to get the deal over the line.

Kehl said: "As a player and a role model, Marco is enormously important for this club – among our fans in the South Stand and in this city, but also beyond the borders of Dortmund and to BVB fans all over the world, too.

"As a long-time BVB player and a Dortmund native, he will not only continue to play an active role in enjoying success on the pitch, but will also use all his experience to advance the development of the younger generation within our squad."

Sebastien Haller says being back on the field and scoring goals for Borussia Dortmund "is all a bonus" following his recovery from cancer.

The Ivory Coast international scored twice in Saturday's 6-1 win over Koln to help Dortmund leapfrog Bayern Munich, who travel to Bayer Leverkusen on Sunday.

Despite playing football at elite level just three months after undergoing surgery for testicular cancer, Haller has come in for criticism for his lack of goals.

Prior to his brace against Koln, the 28-year-old had scored just once in 12 appearances, but he is glad to now be playing his part.

"I'm happy to be here and playing at all. It's all a bonus to me," Haller, who joined Dortmund from Ajax in July, told Sport1.

"If you think after just a few weeks everything that happened in the six months before is forgotten, that would be a big mistake."

Even without scoring, Haller still played an important role for Dortmund in terms of his build-up play, with his return to the side coinciding with a 10-game winning streak.

Dortmund's sporting director Sebastian Kehl said: "These goals will give him a boost. 

"What has been surfacing in the last few weeks is not justified after everything the boy has been through. His work has paid off and he feels the support of the whole club."

Marco Reus also scored twice in Dortmund's win against Koln to overtake Michael Zorc as the club's outright all-time record scorer in the professional era with 161 goals.

Long-serving midfielder Reus has spent 11 seasons in Dortmund's first team and reiterated he intends to see out his career at the Westfalenstadion.

"I have said it in the past weeks, months, years that I would like to end my career here," said Reus, whose current contract is due to expire at the end of the season. 

"I feel really good. We are in talks [over a new deal]. Everything else will become clear in the coming weeks."

Borussia Dortmund must put their Champions League heartbreak behind them when they attempt to secure a club record ninth consecutive Bundesliga win in the 100th Revierderby against Schalke.

Edin Terzic's side crashed out of Europe's premier club competition in the round-of-16 when they were beaten 2-0 at Chelsea on Tuesday, having won the first leg 1-0.

That ended Dortmund's run of 10 consecutive victories and they felt hard done by, as referee Danny Makkelie allowed Kai Havertz to retake a decisive penalty due to encroachment and he made no mistake after missing his first attempt.

Dortmund must turn their attention back to the battle for the Bundesliga title and resuming their rivalry with relegation-threatened Schalke at the VELTINS-Arena on Saturday, when Marco Reus could make history.

Level on points with Bayern Munich at the top of the table, Dortmund have the opportunity to take their frustration out on the Royal Blues.

Stats Perform picks out the standout Opta data for the big derby.

From Champions League misery to cloud nine?

Dortmund have been licking their wounds since the pain of being consigned to a Champions League exit at Stamford Bridge.

They have no time to feel sorry for themselves, with so much at stake as they strive to dethrone Bayern.

Dortmund could win a club record ninth top-flight game in a row this weekend, having matched their best run with a 2-1 victory over RB Leipzig.

They have previously won eight in a row between 2011 and 2012, then again two years ago. 

Reus can go out on his way

Dortmund stalwart Reus is one goal away from becoming the outright record scorer for the club after he was on target against Leipzig.

That strike was his 159th for the club in all competitions, drawing him level with Michael Zorc.

Reus has been struggling with a cold, so it remains to be seen if he gets the chance to go out on his own in the home of Dortmund's rivals.

The skipper has had a hand in at least one goal in each of his past three Bundesliga games, scoring twice and setting two up.

Derby delight a distant memory for Schalke

Schalke have not only lost their past four encounters with Dortmund, but also failed to score in five matches against their rivals.

The last time they found the back of the Dortmund net was in April 2019, when they celebrated a 4-2 away victory after Reus and Marius Wolf were sent off.

Youssoufa Moukoko scored the only goal of the game when they met in September and Dortmund ran riot when they last travelled to Schalke, Erling Haaland scoring twice in a 4-0 rout just over two years ago – their joint-highest win over the Royal Blues.

Dortmund have only previously won four consecutive games against Schalke when they went on to beat them eight times in a row between 1964 and 1967.

Schalke fighting for their lives

The Royal Blues are battling to avoid relegation after securing promotion back to the top flight last season.

They are making a fight of it under Thomas Reis, securing back-to-back wins over fellow strugglers Stuttgart and Bochum to haul themselves off the bottom of the table.

Schalke had reeled off four goalless draws on the spin before defeating Stuttgart and they are unbeaten in the first six games of the second half of Bundesliga season for the first time since 2006.

This will be a battle between the only unbeaten sides in the second half of the season.

Edin Terzic praised his team's defensive fortitude after Borussia Dortmund equalled a club record by securing an eighth consecutive Bundesliga victory with a 2-1 win over title rivals RB Leipzig, and a 10th overall.

Dortmund headed into Friday's game second to Bayern Munich only on goal difference after an imperious run of form since the return of domestic football following the Qatar World Cup.

Meanwhile, Leipzig, led by former Dortmund boss Marco Rose, were four points off top spot themselves and looking to move within striking distance of the top two.

After Julian Brandt had seen a goal ruled out for offside for the hosts, captain Marco Reus scored from the spot after being felled by Leipzig goalkeeper Janis Blaswich to put Dortmund ahead and move into second on the club's all-time goalscoring list.

Emre Can then saw a shot from the edge of the box somehow find its way in to give his team a commanding 2-0 lead at the break.

Leipzig improved after the break though and halved the deficit when Emil Forsberg slid in to turn David Raum's cross into the net, setting up a grandstand finish.

Rose's men piled on the pressure, and an incredible goal-saving block was needed from Nico Schlotterbeck to deny Timo Werner's powerful goal-bound effort in the dying seconds as Dortmund saw the game out for three points to move top, with Bayern not playing until Saturday when they face Stuttgart.

Terzic was delighted after watching his team's last-ditch defending pay off, telling DAZN: "That was an absolutely top game, we're very happy.

"We played very well in the first half, in the second half we defended passionately. We saved it over the line, it wasn't easy to score a goal against us today."

Reus was relieved to pick up a 10th straight win in all competitions despite Dortmund's low-key second-half display, saying: "In the second half we didn't manage to keep the ball, to get more solutions, that wasn't so good anymore. 

"But we're very happy to have won the 10th competitive game in a row. In the end, I'd rather win than play well and lose. It's all about hard work, we've shown that in the past few weeks and today."

Rose was frustrated by the loss after a much-improved performance in the second half, explaining: "The result is difficult to accept, the second half clearly went to us. 

"Dortmund were very efficient. It was a decent game from us at the back, I didn't feel like we were clearly inferior. Over 90 minutes, it's hard to accept losing a game like that."

Marco Reus fired red-hot Borussia Dortmund into a three-way tie at the top of the Bundesliga and declared: "We want to keep riding this wave."

The captain was restored to Dortmund's starting line-up on Sunday after sitting out the midweek Champions League win over Chelsea, taking over from Jude Bellingham who dropped to the bench and handed over the armband.

Reus hit a stunning free-kick for Dortmund's third goal in a 4-1 win over Hertha Berlin, thrilling a crowd of 81,365 at Signal Iduna Park, with Karim Adeyemi, Donyell Malen and Julian Brandt also on the scoresheet.

Bellingham came on as a second-half substitute and achieved his 50th Bundesliga victory. At 19 years and 235 days old, it made the England midfielder the youngest player to ever reach that landmark. There could be plenty more to celebrate this season for the teenager.

The only real negative for Dortmund was a leg muscle injury Adeyemi sustained when setting up the second goal for Malen, with the forward likely to be absent for several weeks.

Dortmund have won all eight of their games since the German season resumed after the World Cup and winter break, powering into a tie for top spot having looked out of the title race just a matter of weeks ago.

"Before the winter break, nobody expected it to be so tight at the top of the table," Reus said. "We started a run that we continued today. We want to continue riding this wave, and in the end you will see what comes of it."

Union Berlin are the surprise package in the three-team group at the summit. Opta records show this is the first time in the three-points-for-a-win era, which began in 1995-96, that three teams have been tied on points at the top after matchday 21 in the Bundesliga.

Speaking to DAZN, Reus said: "You win, but you also can't give an inch, otherwise it will be difficult. We don't play the stars from the sky, we are effective. When I scored my free-kick, I realised as soon as the ball left my foot that it could be dangerous.

"I'm happy that after a long time I was able to score a free-kick goal again."

It was a first direct free-kick goal for Reus in the Bundesliga since he scored one against Bayer Leverkusen in May 2021, which itself came after a five-year wait.

The strike came shortly after Bellingham entered the fray, with Dortmund pulling away over the closing quarter.

Union missed a chance to take the outright lead in the title race, only managing a 0-0 draw at home against bottom side Schalke earlier on Sunday.

Bayern hold top spot thanks to their superior goal difference (plus 40), with Dortmund second and Union third, but it is clear this is now a proper title scrap.

The momentum is with Dortmund, given Bayern were beaten 3-2 at Borussia Monchengladbach on Saturday.

A Klassiker awaits in six weeks' time, when there could be plenty at stake.

Goalscorer Brandt said: "We still have a long way to go, but it's the same for Union and Bayern. We fought our way out of our situation before the winter break extremely well. I'm most happy today for Marco Reus, who scored a wonderful goal."

Dortmund coach Edin Terzic will wait to see how Adeyemi comes through tests on his injury, but the prospects of him returning soon look minimal.

"He probably won't be available to us for the next few games," Terzic said, "but we hope that it won't be too long before he can be back."