Bayern Munich and their veteran striker Robert Lewandowski host Borussia Dortmund and their Norwegian top-scorer Erling Braut Haaland in Germany’s ‘Klassiker’ on Saturday.
With 28 goals in 22 league games, Lewandowski is on his way to being crowned the Bundesliga’s top-scorer for the fourth season running.
The Poland international has banged in 16 goals in his last 13 league games.
“That man is crazy. Just crazy,” Haaland told Norwegian TV, admitting he is a fan of his Polish rival.
“When I score, I’m one goal closer to catching him up.
“And then he just scores another hat-trick like it’s an everyday thing.”
Gerd Mueller’s all-time record of 40 goals in a single Bundesliga season is under threat.
At the same stage of the 1971/72 season, Mueller had scored 25 goals; Lewandowski has 28.
Despite missing a month with injury, Haaland, 20, has managed 17 league goals this season, but admits there is “a lot” he can learn from Lewandowski.
Bayern have won the club’s last four clashes, including a 3-2 win at Dortmund last November, when both Haaland and Lewandowski both scored.
That followed a 3-2 victory for Bayern in the German Super Cup in September, yet Dortmund fancy their chances at Munich’s Allianz Arena.
“This season we have shown in both games that we have gotten closer in recent comparisons,” Dortmund caretaker coach Edin Terzic told Kicker.