Pulisic, Schurrle set for Ruhr derby returns

Borussia Dortmund attack duo Christian Pulisic and Andre Schurrle are set to return to the lineup for Saturday's derby with Schalke.

Injury troubles have hampered the start of Dortmund's campaign, though Thomas Tuchel and Co. are buoyed by the returns of several players, which couldn't have come at a better time.

"It's like a cup final," Tuchel said, according to ESPN FC's Stephan Uersfeld. "You only have this one chance to win it and otherwise you have to wait for one year."

The clubs, separated by a half-hour drive, are at opposite ends of the form spectrum. Dortmund has fallen to sixth in the Bundesliga table after having picked up just two points in its last three league matches, while Schalke hasn't lost in six fixtures across all competitions.

Still, Markus Weinzierl's Gelsenkirchen lot sits 14th ahead of the trip to the Westfalenstadion, and while Schalke is galvanised by its recent run of form, Dortmund has been boosted by the returns of Pulisic and Schurrle.

BVB was without the pair, along with Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Raphael Guerreiro, for a midweek cup match against second-tier Union Berlin, escaping narrowly by virtue of penalties. Aubameyang's and Guerreiro's statuses are still up in the air.

Pulisic, who has two goals and five assists this season, returns after missing out midweek with illness, while Schurrle is set to feature for the first time since scoring a late equaliser in Champions League play against Real Madrid in late September.

Full squad or not, the importance of the match is not lost on Tuchel.

"It's simply the derby in Germany. It's a gift to be a part of it, and to be so close to it. It's a special match. It feels different."