Who Is Better: Marco Reus or Mario Gotze?

Half a year ago, Marco Reus and Mario Goetze were joint masterminds of the Borussia Dortmund attack. Each with his own diverse but unique skill set, the two terrorized defenses in the Bundesliga and Champions League. So formidable were the pair that Franz Beckenbauer went so far as to label them the most dangerous midfield combination in the world, as per Goal.

Once a dynamic duo, Reus and Goetze will face off as foes for the first time on Saturday as the former's Dortmund play host to Bayern, whereto the latter moved over the summer.

Reus now is the sole world-class match-winner in the BVB midfield, while Goetze is one of many at Bayern. Nonetheless both are exceptionally talented, each with his own unique set of skills. Here's a breakdown of who has the edge in several categories:

Shooting: Reus

In terms of shooting, Reus is in every way superior to Goetze. The BVB man has more power and accuracy with both feet, is a more efficient finisher and is more capable of producing a spectacular goal from distance.

Whereas Goetze has converted just one free-kick in his professional career, Reus has double that tally this season alone in addition to three more in 2012-13. Even early in his Gladbach career he became renowned for his ability to fire home from well outside the box with either foot, on the ground or on the volley.

Goetze is more the type to tuck the ball home from close range in the style of Lionel Messi. But to date he is yet to achieve a level of consistency and has often missed seemingly simple chances. His inexplicable failure to convert an easy opportunity against Malaga in the spring was not an anomaly.

Creativity: Goetze

Although Reus assists nearly as many goals as he scores, Goetze is the better creator. Even at the tender age of 18, Goetze recorded a phenomenal 15 assists in the Bundesliga: For perspective, this figure matches Ballon d'Or candidate Franck Ribery's tally for 2012-13.

Perhaps the most significant point in illustrating Goetze's influence as a playmaker is in Dortmund's attacking record in the Champions League with Goetze in 2012-13 as opposed to the current campaign.

In last season's group stage, BVB recorded 11 goals (1.83 per game) against giants Real Madrid and strong opponents in the form of Manchester City and Ajax. This season they have six in four games (a rate of 1.50 per match), half of which came against woeful Marseille.

BVB are creating fewer clear-cut chances, with Reus and Henrikh Mkhitaryan both more capable of shooting than setting up opportunities in and around the penalty box.

Dribbling: Even

Goetze and Reus are very different in terms of dribbling style. The former is blessed with a better touch, which helps him navigate through tight spaces. This and his explosive acceleration make his dribbling style in many ways similar to that of Ribery.

Reus is also a great dribbler, but in a different way. His control is not quite on par with Goetze's, but his aggression and quickness have allowed him to adopt an extremely direct style of taking on opponents. He needs the right environment for his dribbling to be effective, but when given the opportunity to run at opponents on the counterattack, he can be a nightmare for defenders.

Versatility: Goetze

The son of a professor, Goetze is an extremely intelligent footballer with a very complete skill set. Much like Lionel Messi, he can be played in a variety of positions. The 21-year-old began his career on the right wing before moving to a central playmaking role.

For Germany, he's had success being deployed as a lone striker. So versatile is Goetze that even at 18, on multiple occasions he deputized for Nuri Sahin in a defensive midfield position.

Reus is also versatile and his ability to drop deep to advance the ball when needed separates him from many otherwise similarly talented attacking players. His skill with both feet makes him comfortable on either flank; his finishing makes him also effective in the center. But the fact that Loew sees him as a winger and not an option at center-forward speaks of his limitations.

Technique: Goetze

Goetze's technique is his greatest attribute, and that alone explains why he is so highly regarded by Joachim Loew. The Germany trainer has often spoken of how the modern game is compact and how footballers must now make the ordinary things extraordinary—this is exactly what Goetze does.

When opponents press and leave little time and space to operate, the wheat is separated from the chaff. Some footballers who appear outstanding in most situations are found lacking when under pressure. Goetze, much like Mesut Ozil, is uncommonly comfortable in these situations.

Reus certainly has excellent skill on the ball. But when closely marked, he can be taken out of a game.

Physicality: Even

Goetze has come a long way from the small, slow 17-year-old he was when he made his Bundesliga debut. Now more mature, he is extremely agile, explosively quick and has through boxing developed surprising upper body strength given his position.

Reus similarly has experienced unexpected growth, but in a different way. Cast away by BVB as a youngster due to his slight stature, he remains rather frail in appearance but has great agility and acceleration, as well as a top speed that exceeds that of Goetze.

Form: Reus

Although he has looked fatigued in recent weeks, burdened perhaps by the hefty responsibility that has come since Goetze's departure, Marco Reus remains in excellent form. German magazine Kicker rates the versatile attacker as the third-best player in the Bundesliga this season, and only Robert Lewandowski and Max Kruse have directly contributed to more goals in the German top flight.

Goetze, on the other hand, has had his minutes greatly limited due to injuries and still is not 100 per cent. Although he's shown flashes of brilliance, notably against Mainz and Hertha BSC and for Germany against Sweden, Goetze is still nowhere near where he could be. If he stays fit, expect an explosion of form from him in the second half of the season.

Potential: Goetze

At 24 years of age, Reus is entering the prime of his career. He is settled at a strong club and is now experienced and fully physically mature: From here we'll see some better and worse seasons, but the Germany international has little room for further development.

Goetze, on the other hand, is still far from the finished product. His year-by-year progress has matched Messi's, and the 21-year-old Bayern man has only just begun working with Pep Guardiola. The fact that Goetze directly contributed to two more BVB goals than Reus last season, despite being three years younger, speaks to the Bayern man's enormous ability. He is perhaps the most likely current German footballer to win the Ballon d'Or in the coming years.

Conclusion:

Both Reus and Goetze are exceptional, world-class footballers. But each has his own abilities. On form, Reus currently has an edge: He's four years older than Goetze and currently in the prime of his career unlike the Memmingen native, who in addition to being still on the rise also has had to deal with injuries and the teething problems that naturally come with joining a new club.

Reus has the edge currently, but on his current trajectory, the future belongs to Goetze.

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