Dortmund`s stars sit out PAOK Salonika in Europa League for Bayern clash

Borussia Dortmund have left Mats Hummels, Shinji Kagawa, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Sokratis and Ilkay Gundogan behind for Thursday`s Europa League clash at PAOK Salonika ahead of this weekend`s Bayern Munich clash. 

Second-placed Dortmund are at Pep Guardiola`s German league leaders on Sunday with the hosts going into the Allianz Arena clash with a four-point lead.

Bayern have won all seven of their league games so far this season, while unbeaten Dortmund have dropped points by drawing their last two matches.

Dortmund coach Thomas Tuchel has left his captain Hummels behind, also opting to rest playmaker Kagawa and top-scorer Aubameyang who has scored in each of their seven games so far.

"We need to keep an eye on the load put on the players," said Tuchel as Dortmund will have played 14 games in 65 days by the time they play Bayern.

The likes of new signings Gonzalo Castro, South Korea`s Park Joo-Ho and Belgian rising star Adnan Januzaj are set to make the starting line-up as Dortmund hunt their second straight win in their Europa League group.