As derbies go in the Bundesliga, few are as impressive as Borussia Dortmund against Schalke 04, which took place at the weekend.
Over 7000 travelling Schalke fans made the trip to the Westfallenstadion to see their team secure a valuable point in a 0-0 draw against one of the best teams in the league.
Taking part in this derby was Tottenham loanee Nabil Bentaleb, who is quickly becoming a fan favourite at the Bundesliga side with recent performances, and Der Westen wanted to know what the player thought of his first Ruhr derby.
He said: “It was a great experience for me. The whole week was fantastic. The fans were our twelfth man in Dortmund. We can’t thank them enough for the support.”
As for what happened on the pitch: “We showed character as a team. The 0-0 was a good point for us. We have picked up points against a strong team. Markus Weinzierl and all the staff have always believed in us.
“We have corrected mistakes as a team and want to continue to improve. The new system is good because we are picking up points. That’s how we have to continue.”
Schalke, having failed to pick up a point in their first five games of the season, are now on a four match unbeaten run, with a big game against Werder Bremen coming up next week.
Regarding Bentaleb’s form, three goals and an assist in his last four games suggest things are looking up for the Tottenham player.
Will he return to White Hart Lane next season? At this rate, probably not.
