Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund face off in the German Super Cup final on Wednesday night. The sides met in this competition last time out, with Dortmund running out winners against Bayern, who had won the Champions League that year.

Histories:

Bayern have appeared in the final nine times, winning it on five occasions and losing the other four. Dortmund have appeared in it 6 times, winning on four occasions and losing the other two games. The sides have met in the final 4 times previously, (1989, 2008, 2012 & 2013) with three wins for Dortmund to Bayern's one. 

Previous Five Meetings (Bundesliga):

Bayern Munich 0-3 Borussia Dortmund  

Borussia Dortmund 0-3 Bayern Munich

Borussia Dortmund 1-1 Bayern Munich

Bayern Munich 1-1 Borussia Dortmund

Borussia Dortmund 1-0 Bayern Munich 

Clashes between the two German giants tend to be tight, with the previous two defying the odds and becoming one-sided affairs. The last five league meetings have provided 11 goals, with tackles tending to be feisty throughout, with Bayern's Rafinha the latest to see the red mist during Bayern's 3-0 defeat to Dortmund. Games between the two have been described as "not typical without red cards."

Each club will be determined to get one over on the counterpart, with the bitter rivalry coming to light in recent weeks over comments made by Bayern chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge. 

Dortmund CEO Joachim Watzke recently criticised him for interfering with BVB's affairs. Rummenigge told BILD that Marco Reus is a "very good player" and who "everybody knows will be available for €25million next summer."

Watzke responded by stating: "Borussia Dortmund are rather annoyed that Karl-Heinz Rummenigge is currently saying something about Dortmund issues at a rate of every three days. Karl-Heinz Rummenigge knows full well that his behaviour is only going to further damage the already tense relationship between Borussia Dortmund and Bayern Munich."

Jurgen Klopp spoke about former Dortmund now Bayern man Robert Lewandowski during his press conference. He is determined to consign his former predator to defeat. "He is still a great guy," the Dortmund coach insisted. "There will be plenty of hugs. But we're taking the Supercup very seriously. We're desperate to win. Games against Bayern are always very special. They're one of the best teams in the world."

Both sides have endured pretty miserable pre-season campaigns. Bayern have conceded a goal every game bar one, (how un-Bayern esque) and Pep hasn’t been happy with the friendlies on a few levels. Two recent matches were played across the Atlantic and travelling that distance with a team made up of World Cup stars was certainly not something that he’d neither asked for nor seemed to enjoy. He was also visually concerned at the physicality employed by the MLS All Stars in the most recent friendly. 

Dortmund, on the other hand, were recently humbled 4-0 by Liverpool, with Klopp admitting that there was a lot of work to be done before the new season commenced. Dortmund's new captain Mats Hummels misses out due to a muscular injury, while Nuri Sahin, Jakub Blaszczykowski, (both knee)  Ilkay Gundogan (back) and Marco Reus are also sidelined. Klopp must also decide whether to start fit-again defender Neven Subotic.  

Expected line-ups:

Bayern Munich (3-4-3)

Manuel Neuer; Jerome Boateng, Javi Martinez, David Alaba; Pierre Hojbjerg, Philipp Lahm, Mario Gotze, Juan Bernat; Thomas Muller, Robert Lewandowski, Arjen Robben.

Dortmund (4-2-3-1)

Roman Weidenfeller; Lukasz Piszczek, Neven Subotic, Sokratis Papastathopoulos, Marcel Schmelzer; Sven Bender, Oliver Kirch; Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Milos Jojic, Henrikh Mkhitaryan; Ciro Immobile.

Key players:

Bayern Munich (Robert Lewandowski) :

If Lewandowski can bring his current pre season form or perhaps his form from last season into tomorrow's clash, Dortmund will be in for a tough time. The Polish attacker, blessed with a predatory instinct, has scored three times throughout the pre-season campiagn, and although it looks unlikely that he'll be welcomed back to his old stomping ground with open arms, you can bet that he'll be vying for an opportunity in front of goal.

Borussia Dortmund (Ciro Immobile)

Lewandowski's replacement is no slouch either. Immobile, brought in alongside Hertha Berlin man Adrian Ramos to plug the gap left by the Pole, had a fine campaign last time out with Torino, winning the Serie A golden boot. Forming a decent partnership with his attacking midfielders will be key to any success Dortmund hope to have.

Prediction: Bayern 3-1 Dortmund.