Boredom? What boredom? Those responsible for the Bundesliga have been complaining about the lack of tension for some time. And should now breathe a sigh of relief.
Because before the 12th match day, the teams in places 1 (Union Berlin, 23 points) to 8 (RB Leipzig, 16) are only separated by one point. Behind Leipzig and the two teams with the same number of points from Mönchengladbach and Cologne, things continue at the same pace – before Hertha BSC (11 points) in 13th place begins the relegation zone. The last time there was such a small gap at this point in the season was 13 years ago. The first four teams all have a chance to become leaders, but the other teams could also make a big leap in the tight tableau with a win.
SV Werder Bremen – Hertha BSC (Friday, 8.30 p.m.)
Werder Bremen have lost three times in a row and haven’t scored a goal. Where some other clubs go into crisis mode, everything remains remarkably calm at SV Werder. On the one hand, the climber is still absolutely on target with 15 points. On the other hand, in Niklas Füllkrug they have a striker who experts on all channels have been calling for a call-up for the World Cup for weeks. With the early extension of Leanardo Bittencourt’s contract, the Bremen team sent another signal. Werder will have to face Hertha without captain Marco Friedl after he was sent off in Freiburg.
With the Berliners, Davie Selke is returning to his former place of work, but will probably continue to be satisfied with the role as a reserve player. Hertha coach Sandro Schwarz once again emphasized the important role that Selke had in the team. “On the training ground, in the locker room. He pushes the boys from the outside“, said Schwarz. Sentences that probably no striker would like to hear from his coach.
FC Bayern Munich – 1. FSV Mainz 05 (Saturday, 3.30 p.m.)
The English BBC asked this week with concern: Is FC Bayern’s dominance bad for the Bundesliga? In principle, a legitimate question, after ten titles in a row for the record champions. The Munich team is currently only in the unusual second place in the table. But the trend of the past few weeks clearly points in the well-known direction: Dortmund’s last-minute equalizer at the league summit seemed like a wake-up call: Munich then swept past Freiburg, Hoffenheim and FC Barcelona, with a total of 10-0 goals .
Even the problem with the central striker that cannot be found in the squad has been resolved for the time being: Eric-Maxim Choupo-Moting, who once matured into a top-flight striker with the opponent from Mainz, of course scored again in the easy 3-0 win at the Camp Nou. The “kicker” sees the record champions “in the flow” again. Should the surprising leaders Union Berlin drop points again, the Munich team could regain their regular place at the top if they win against Mainz. Even if caution is advised against fifth in the table, Mainz are currently coming to Munich as the best away team in the league.
RB Leipzig – Bayer Leverkusen (Saturday, 3.30 p.m.)
The duel of two Champions LeagueClubs that also have a lot in common this season, including undesirable developments: Both clubs have already swapped coaches and are behind their own claims in the table – but have recently recorded a tentative upward trend. Leipzig was even able to celebrate an intoxicating European Cup night with the win against Real Madrid during the week and is in the top half of the table for the first time after four games without defeat.
Bayer Leverkusen scored at least a partial success in the 2-2 draw against Atletico – and worked successfully against the mysterious penalty trauma: Bayer 04 had recently failed three times from the penalty spot and conceded five goals from the spot themselves – until keeper Lukas Hradecky against Atletico in the added time saved Yannick Carrasco’s penalty. “We just needed a game like that.” said Nadiem Amiri after an emotional exit. In the league, however, Leverkusen (15th place, 9 points) still need points.
VfL Wolfsburg – VfL Bochum (Saturday, 3.30 p.m.)
Another club that benefits from the insanely tight table constellation: Just three weeks ago, money would have been put on Gianni Infantino describing the World Cup award to Qatar as a “big mistake” than VfL Bochum keeping the class could. After eight matchdays without a win, Bochum seemed hopeless at the bottom of the table. But a change of coach and two wins later, including against Union Berlin, which is considered almost unbeatable – and VfL is suddenly back in business. They have already handed over the “Red Lantern” to Schalke, with a win in Wolfsburg Bochum could even leave the relegation zone.
However, Bochum have not scored a single point away from home this season. Wolfsburg, on the other hand, have been unbeaten four times in a row. The fact that the Wolfsburg team are still only 11 meager points in 14th place has mainly to do with the catastrophic start to the season. Wolfsburg spread confidence before the game against Bochum. Also with the announcement that, despite the energy crisis, they do not want to do without the usual light show at the games, which, among other things, goes on stage when their own goals are scored.
VfB Stuttgart – FC Augsburg (Saturday, 3.30 p.m.)
VfB Stuttgart is one of the five clubs that have already changed coaches. The interim balance after three games under interim coach Michael Wimmer has so far fluctuated between the extremes: two clear victories against Bochum and in the cup against Bielefeld is compared to the 0:5 debacle in Dortmund last week. Wimmer promised that the team against Augsburg “show another face” will. At the same time, he announced claims to take over the post of head coach on a permanent basis. The new euphoria at the home games was also noticed by the VfB managers, but also the results: VfB still only has one win of the season under their belt.
The curve is pointing downwards at FC Augsburg, most recently they remained without a win for four competitive games in a row under coach Enrico Maassen. In the 3:3 against Leipzig, after a 3:0 lead, it was again late goals that spoiled the result for the Augsburg team. The Augsburgers, who still have to do without the injured keeper Rafal Gikiewicz, still have an apparently reassuring cushion of six points in 16th place and against the opponent from Stuttgart. But if Stuttgart wins, they would be drawn into the mess.
Eintracht Frankfurt – Borussia Dortmund (Saturday, 6.30 p.m.)
The top game on Saturday evening – initially at 6.30 p.m. The league has now made public mind games to schedule the late Saturday game at 8.30 p.m. in the future. The duel between the Champions League clubs Frankfurt and Dortmund would definitely promise real Saturday evening entertainment: both successfully advertised themselves in the premier class during the week. BVB defied Manchester City a draw and managed to make it into the round of 16 early, and Frankfurt also has every chance of progressing after beating Marseille.
In the league, Eintracht is suddenly stable after a changeable start and with 12 points is even the most successful team of the past five games. Dortmund, on the other hand, had a tough fight away from home recently, with three defeats in a row and a subsequent crisis of meaning. If BVB manages to reverse the trend with the strong Frankfurters, it would be a real mood booster for the remaining days before the World Cup break.
1. FC Union Berlin – Borussia Mönchengladbach (Sunday, 3.30 p.m.)
After the defeat in Bochum, Union Berlin’s lead over the competition has shrunk – the Berliners have to defend their lead in the table for the first time in weeks. In the past week, the people from Köpenick were also confronted with the desires that are customary in the industry: Sheraldo Becker, who has been the most dangerous offensive man for weeks, commented on a possible change in the Dutch media.to a top club in Germany or England“, after the departure of Taiwo Awoniyi and Grischa Prömel, Union threatens to become a victim of its own success. A renewed encouragement was the stable 1-0 in the Europa League against Sporting Braga on Thursday evening (October 27th, 2022).
Borussia Mönchengladbach is playing for the third time this season with the reigning leaders – Borussia took a point in each of the two guest appearances against the leaders from Munich and Freiburg. But nothing more – the last away win in the league comes from the 29th matchday of the previous season, when you could take all three points from Fürth. A win at the Alte Försterei would therefore be more than a birthday present for coach Daniel Farke, who turns 46 on Sunday.
FC Schalke 04 – SC Freiburg (Sunday, 5.30 p.m.)
FC Schalke 04 worked properly on its reputation as a “chaos club” this week. Almost at the same time as the announcement that Thomas Reis would become the new coach, sports director Rouven Schröder announced his sudden resignation. At the presentation of the new coach, sports director Peter Knäbel surprised Schröder with a very emotional farewell speech, but otherwise had no explanations to offer about his departure.
In terms of sport, Reis, who was already acting as a Schalke coach before the season, faces the challenge of giving the club, which has been bottom of the table for weeks, new hope.
However, SC Freiburg is anything but a build-up opponent, the Freiburgers have only lost one of the last ten games and are squinting at the top of the table. The only question is how much strength the sensational second half cost on Thursday evening against Olympiakos Piraeus when Freiburg forced the 1-1 draw and thus the round of 16 in the Europa League.
1. FC Cologne – 1899 Hoffenheim (Sunday, 7.30 p.m.)
Crisis meeting – that’s how you would normally call the duel between two clubs that have recently conceded 14 goals in four games (Cologne) or only won one of five games (Hoffenheim). FC coach Steffen Baumgart doesn’t need to come up with that, in the SZ interview he once again criticized what he saw as exaggerated expectations and “the negative atmosphere” in parts of the Cologne environment. Baumgart expressly excluded the fans, who celebrated their team even after the 0:5 beating last week in Mainz.
But the game will not be quite competitive, because Cologne has to play the Europa Conference League again after the haze with the game being abandoned in Slovacko on Friday afternoon (!).
However, with Hoffenheim, a real feared opponent is coming to Müngersdorf. The Kraichgauer have all won the last eight duels against Cologne. With another defeat, Cologne would even set a negative record – FC have only lost to Bayern Munich nine times in a row. The last Cologne victory against Hoffenheim dates from April 2015, still under coach Peter Stöger.