5 Key Games for the Borussia Dortmund in the 1st Half of the Bundesliga Season

The new Bundesliga season is now just days away. Borussia Dortmund fans across the world will be eagerly anticipating the return of the German top flight as they get back into the habit of watching their side every week. 

Yet aside from the here-and-now diehard fans of the Black and Yellows will have already circled off dates from now till the end of the year for the best and biggest games in which Thomas Tuchel side will be taking part in over the course of the coming season. 

Here are the five key Dortmund games for the first half of the new Bundesliga season. 

Borussia Moenchengladbach at Home: Matchday 1

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First up we have this Saturday's clash with Borussia Moenchengladbach which, aside from being the opening game of Dortmund's season, should undoubtedly tell us exactly where this side are right now. 

Although Lucien Favre's side may not be the most formidable team in Germany or indeed anywhere near challenging for league titles, Gladbach can beat anyone in the Bundesliga when on their game and ready for a match. 

With a strong pre-season behind them and a fully fit squad, this Gladbach side should make for an excellent test against Tuchel's side. 

Bayer Leverkusen at Home: Matchday 5

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In much the same way as Gladbach's coming test, Bayer Leverkusen will travel to the Westfalenstadion in Matchday 5 and put up a mighty obstacle for Tuchel and his men. 

The Factory Squad are perhaps better suited to challenging for a top-four spot this season. They will be desperate to put a dent in any revival and hope of reclaiming a spot at the top of the table that Dortmund may have. 

Dortmund haven't managed to get one over on Leverkusen since February 2013. This is a game that often causes all sorts of problems for the black and yellows. 

Bayern Munich Away: Matchday 8

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As any Dortmund fan would expect, the first encounter with Bayern Munich this season will undoubtedly be the match that everyone has their eyes on. 

Although a bit of distance has opened up between the two sides in recent years the clashes between the two sides havn't lost a single ounce of their old electricity and drama. 

Although Pep Guardiola's side picked up six points from six in the Bundesliga last season, Jurgen Klopp managed to win the Super Cup last summer and indeed knock Bayern out of the DFB Pokal semi-finals earlier in the year. 

This fixture is still as good as it has ever been. 

Revierderby at Home: Matchday 12

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Aside from the Bayern game—or perhaps before it—Dortmund fans will have been looking out for the first opportunity they get to take on their local rivals, Schalke. 

As perhaps the biggest derby in the German football calendar the Revierderby is a match that will undoubtedly dominate the media attention on Matchday 12. 

Yet unlike previous seasons, it seems as though both Dortmund and Schalke may be on course to battle it out for a spot in the top four come May.

Not only will this game be important for bragging rights between the two sets of fans but it may also be vital in terms of picking up important points through the season. 

Wolfsburg Away: Matchday 15

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At this moment in time, Wolfsburg are undoubtedly Germany's second-best team. Although a few faces may either come or go from the Volkswagen Arena before the end of the transfer window, odds are that Dieter Hecking's side will be the team to beat before you can even get a shot at Bayern. 

As such, by the time the Wolves travel to Dortmund on Matchday 15, many black-and-yellow fans would have expected Tuchel's side to be somewhere near the level required to at least challenge Kevin de Bruyne & Co. 

Although this game certainly won't be one in which Dortmund are expected to win it's a match that could say a lot about where this club are as we approach the end of the year.