It may not have quite the international prestige of its counterparts in, say, Manchester or Milan, but it undoubtedly carries the same weight with the hardcore fans of both clubs – and means more to them than any other fixture on the football calendar – The Revierderby.
While they might not necessarily like to admit it, Dortmund and Schalke actually have a lot in common: geography, obviously, but also roots in the coal and steel industries and a striking similarity of their fan bases. It is one of the fiercest rivalries in world football as two of the game’s most passionate sets of fans vie for local bragging rights in Germany’s industrial heartland.
While religious, economic and political differences spice up other derbies, the Revierderby is split simply across one divide: Are you Black-and-Yellow or Royal Blue? There is no middle ground. Outside Germany, it is often referred to as the Ruhr derby.
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What is Revierderby?
The match between Borussia Dortmund and Schalke 04 is also known as “Revierderby ”. In fact, the distance between Dortmund city and Gelsenkirchen city (where Schalke 04 is stationed) is only about 30km. Both the cities are in Ruhr, a famous industrial area in Germany. A number of other professional teams hail from the wider region, but they have to make do with the tag ‘minor Ruhr derby’ for their various head-to-heads.
Why Dortmund vs Schalke is called Revierderby
Other than their proximity, there is no particular trigger for a rivalry which, if anything, has only intensified over the years for two sets of fans who basically like nothing more than to give each other a good pasting.
Schalke’s last league title came in 1958, meaning they are yet to be crowned champions in the Bundesliga. It’s a wound Borussia fans particularly enjoy rubbing salt into, especially after a derby victory in 2007 denied the Royal Blues that potential maiden Bundesliga crown.
Indeed, a predominantly working-class demographic defines the bulk of the support of both clubs. Dortmund’s Signal Iduna Park boasts a higher capacity than the Veltins Arena, but Schalke’s membership numbers comfortably outstrip those of their Schwarz-Gelben neighbours.
History of Ruhr Derby
The rivalry…
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