text: It is still Der Klassiker - but not quite as we know it. The fierce rivalry between Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund has dominated German football for much of the past decade, reaching its crescendo when the two titans met in the 2013 Champions League final at Wembley. For a while, Der Klassiker represented the pinnacle of European football. Briefly, it carried as much relevance on the continental stage as El Clasico between Barcelona and Real Madrid - maybe even more. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang of Borussia Dortmund looks dejected after Robert Lewandowski of Bayern Munich scored an equaliser during Der Klassiker between the teams at the Allianz Arena in November . Arjen Robben eventually grabbed the winner five minutes from time as Bayern defeated Dortmund 2-1 . Former Dortmund striker Lewandowski (left) battles with defender Mats Hummels during the recent Bundesliga clash at the Allianz Arena . But as these two prepare to meet in front of an 80,000 audience at the Signal Iduna Park on Saturday evening, some of that lustre has been lost. There is something unsettling about Bayern and Borussia being separated by nine Bundesliga places and a whopping 31 points. It just doesn't seem right, they should be No 1 and No 2. It feels very weird that nothing is riding on the outcome, at least so far as the title race is concerned. A Bayern win will confirm what we already know, that they will be champions for a third successive season. Bayern Munich's Arjen Robben scores past Borussia Dortmund's goalkeeper Roman Weidenfeller during the 2013 Champions League final at Wembley Stadium . Bayern Munich defeated Borussia Dortmund 2-1 at Wembley to win the Champions League - a period in which Der Klassiker was one of the highlights on the European football calendar . A Dortmund win would make a little dent in Bayern's 10-point lead but isn't likely to derail their serene progress to retaining the shield. It would, however, boost their hopes of qualifying for Europe. Therein lies the problem - these two have experienced contrasting seasons in the extreme, to the point where the transferable Klassiker tag could soon be applied to another fixture - perhaps Bayern vs Wolfsburg or Bayern vs Monchengladbach. Having been rock-bottom at the beginning of February, Jurgen Klopp's Dortmund embarked on a seven-match unbeaten run, winning five, and could salvage a modicum of respectability from a disastrous season - and perhaps offset a summer exodus of their best players - by finishing in the top six. Mario Gotze celebrates scoring for Borussia Dortmund with Robert Lewandowski in their 1-0 win at Bayern Munich in November 2011 - both have since joined Bayern as Dortmund have slipped down the table . For Klopp, whose reputation around Europe has taken a battering this season, insists that Der Klassiker is still as significant as ever. 'We've got to try to beat Bayern and where that can take us in the league is secondary,' he said. Gotze refuses to celebrate after scoring for Bayern Munich against Dortmund in November 2013 . 'Although we're 10th, and although there's a huge points gap between us, and although a lot is different compared to the past, it's still a Borussia Dortmund home game. 'I don't recall us gifting any of these games in the past. Gladbach have shown us how it's done. Wolfsburg have also beaten them, but it's not all that easy.' Dortmund do have positive recent memories in this fixture to draw upon. They won 3-0 at the Allianz Arena at the tail end of last season, for example, though it came far too late to alter the destination of the title, which Bayern won by 19 points. They completed the double over their rivals en route to winning their back-to-back Bundesligas in 2010-2011 and 2011-2012. But those great moments seem a long time ago now and the fixture is harder to hype without so much riding on it. Another source of optimism for Klopp is Bayern's mounting injury list, with winger Franck Ribery, who has a recurring ankle problem, joining Arjen Robben and David Alaba on the sidelines. Not that club chief executive Karl-Heinz Rummenigge was panicking: 'We cannot change it and it would be a mistake if Bayern started to lament now.' Quite understandable. Another thrilling climax to the season awaits for Pep Guardiola and his team - they are coasting to a 25th championship, travel to Bayer Leverkusen in the last eight of the DFB-Pokal and Porto in the same stage of the Champions League. Another Treble looms for this all-conquering side. And, for a change, Dortmund are in no position to affect that.
target: Borussia Dortmund host Bayern Munich on Saturday at Signal Iduna Park .
  Teams contest Germany's biggest domestic game, Der Klassiker .
  But little is riding on it with Bayern Munich cruising to Bundesliga title .
  Dortmund hope home win will keep them in shout of Europa League spot .