Borussia Dortmund and Germany midfielder Mario Gotze has played down his side's chances of defending their Bundesliga title this season, saying that Bayern Munich remain a cut above. The Westphalians have narrowed the deficit on the league leaders to five points, despite a difficult start to the season, and their next game is in Munich.

However, Gotze insists ahead of that top-of-the-table clash that his side's priority is finishing inside the top three and qualifying for the UEFA Champions League next season. "At the moment things are going really well for us in the Bundesliga and we have also won at last in the Champions League," he told Munich's Tz newspaper.

"But now we have two games in which we will see where we are at. The dominant side this season is Bayern Munich, though, and I think that in all probability they will win the league. Of course we will try to give it our best and qualify for Europe."

Dortmund won 3-1 at the Allianz Arena last season and that win in February was practically enough to grant the Westphalians their first Bundesliga title since 2003. However, a defeat in Bavaria on November 19 would create an eight-point gap between the two sides and leave Bayern in the driving seat for the title this season.