Vincent Kompany lauded striker Harry Kane's "hunger" as his Bayern Munich side prepare to host Borussia Dortmund on Saturday in a clash between the league's two unbeaten teams.
Bundesliga leaders Bayern have won 10 from 10 in all competitions, scoring 38 goals and conceding just eight.
The centrepiece is Kane who is arguably in his career-best form.
The 32-year-old, who scored a brace in Tuesday's 5-0 thumping of Latvia on England duty, has 18 goals and three assists in those 10 matches for Bayern.
Bayern coach Vincent Kompany said Friday Kane's long trophy drought, that he finally broke with last year's Bundesliga title, pushed the England captain to get even better.
"Maybe it helped that he didn't win a title for a long time, so he kept up that hunger," Kompany told reporters.
"He knows what his role in our team can be and where he fits in with his teammates."
While Bayern have barnstormed their way to the top of the Bundesliga, Dortmund are quietly putting together a strong opening of their own.
They are unbeaten in nine games in all competitions and sit four points behind Bayern in second.
Dortmund manager Niko Kovac, a double winner at Bayern before getting the sack half a year later, said his side must be brave in Munich.
"It'll be difficult if we play too cautiously," Kovac said. "Just defending won't work. We respect each other but we need to take the initiative.
"If we play like we did last year in Munich, we'll have a good chance, but we need to be brave.
"We do see what kind of form Bayern are on. It's unusual for a team to perform so well."
In the match nicknamed 'Der Klassiker' in a bid to echo LaLiga's El Clasico, the fixture has tended to mark the end of Dortmund's title ambitions.
Dortmund have lost eight of their past 10 matches against Bayern in Munich.
But Dortmund are on their best run versus the Bavarians since Jurgen Klopp's tenure.
Dortmund have won one and drawn two of their past three games against Bayern, including a 2-0 win at the Allianz Arena in 2024.
Now running the show at Red Bull, parent company of rivals RB Leipzig, Klopp himself will not be tuning in.
Speaking from the Spanish island of Mallorca, where he spends much of his time, former Liverpool manager Klopp told Germany's RTL on Thursday he would "probably not have time" to watch.
"If I didn't have to work, I'd definitely watch the game."
One to watch: Loic Bade (Bayer Leverkusen)
After a tumultuous summer rebuild with around a dozen new arrivals, France centre-back Loic Bade has quickly established himself at the heart of Bayer Leverkusen's defence.
Bade, 25, who arrived from Sevilla in August, is an assured presence in central defence, showing composure and control in a team in transition.
Praising his "amazing" performances on the pitch, Leverkusen sporting director Simon Rolfes told AFP on Thursday "it's very important as well how he acts off the pitch.
"He's a connector in the locker room language-wise, but also in terms of personality and culture.
"Loic has personality – and you can feel that."
Key stats
10 - Dortmund's 2-0 win over Bayern in 2024 was their first in the league in Munich in 10 years dating back to a 3-0 win in 2014.
11 - Harry Kane has 11 goals in six Bundesliga games this season.
1 - Dortmund striker Serhou Guirassy, who on Thursday was cleared to play, has only failed to score or assist in one of his eight matches this season. He has six goals and three assists.
Fixtures (1330 GMT unless stated)
Friday
Union Berlin v Borussia Moenchengladbach (1830)
Saturday
Mainz v Bayer Leverkusen, RB Leipzig v Hamburg, Cologne v Augsburg, Heidenheim v Werder Bremen, Wolfsburg v Stuttgart, Bayern Munich v Borussia Dortmund (1630)
Sunday
Freiburg v Eintracht Frankfurt, St Pauli v Hoffenheim (1530)
