Bundesliga Weekend Preview: Football is Back

It’s finally back. Football is returning to our screens for the first time since March. Although it won’t be our normal viewing experience with crowds of tens of thousands cheering it is still going to be exciting to see 22 men run around after a ball. In this article, I’m going to preview each Bundesliga tie for this weekend to give you some insight if it is your first time watching the German league.

Schalke player, Caligiuri in training with a face mask

Borussia Dortmund vs Schalke 04

No better place to start than the Revierderby. The fiercest derby in all of Germany is always an interesting spectacle. However, the loss of 80,000 fans chanting from Signal Iduna Park does add a different element to the fixture that will be played for the 180th time.

Dortmund will be looking to earn their 800th Bundesliga point since its inception – a win which will see them knocking on the door of Bayern’s lead at the top.

Schalke are winless in 7 and desperately need points if they’re going to keep hold of their Europa League qualification place. The fact the Royal Blues have only lost one of their last eight derby meetings does bode well for them.

No doubt the attention will be on Haaland and Sancho, but keep an eye on American Weston McKennie who will need to deliver if Schalke are going to come away with a win.

RB Leipzig vs Freiburg

If you’re scouting for young talent look no further than this matchup between third-place Leipzig and SC Freiburg. Spurs fans will know all too well of Leipzig’s quality after they dispatched them in the UCL Last 16. 

Leipzig, like Dortmund, are aiming to at least apply the pressure on the Bavarian giants – maybe that Spurs game rubbed something off on them. Their squad boasts of quality young talents like Upamecano, Nkunku and Werner who may be off in the summer so the time might have to be now for Nagelsmann.

Freiburg are much closer to their goal for this season than Leipzig. One point off a Europa League qualification place would see Freiburg achieve a European adventure and pip the likes of Schalke and Wolfsburg.

If you can look past the glamour of the Leipzig names I mentioned, have a look at Freiburg left-back and captain, Christian Gunter – arguably Bundesliga left-back of the season.

Hoffenheim vs Hertha Berlin

Not a clash for the ages as Hoffenheim and Hertha are both out of form, however, the recent COVID-19 break may have helped both teams in refreshing their tactical plans.

January signings, Cunha and Piatek will prove to be vital if Hertha can steer themselves away from relegation. Meanwhile, Hoffenheim are slowly losing grip on the hotly contested 6th place. 

Hoffenheim have lost 7 of their 13 home Bundesliga matches, whereas Hertha are currently enjoying a five-match unbeaten away run. I suppose that’s your spice added to this fixture. Perhaps, a chive. 

Fortuna Dusseldorf vs Paderborn

In need for a relegation six-pointer? Here’s your answer. Fortuna, who have only won once in 2020, face off against fellow strugglers and bottom place Paderborn who are on a four-game losing streak.

On paper, the game isn’t filled with quality but a win for either side will do them wonders in their quest for Bundesliga survival. Fortuna, at the moment, can’t keep a clean sheet and with Srbeny coming into form for Paderborn he might be the man to give Paderborn its first win in six.

Augsburg vs Wolfsburg

This matchup is similar to the Hoffenheim/Hertha clash as one team is fighting for Europe, other for its place in the league. Augsburg are on a poor run of form, five without a win, and what was supposed to be Herrlich’s first game in charge of Augsburg will have to wait till next week as the coach has been banned from the match due to flouting the strict Bundesliga safety rules.

Wolfsburg are, however, in good form. Six games unbeaten and 10 goals in their last five matches means Augsburg face a tough travelling pack of wolves on Saturday. The absence of their talismanic striker, Weghorst, could prove to be damaging for Wolfsburg and if Augsburg can nullify the threat of his replacement, Ginczek, then they may start to turn a corner on a poor season.

Eintracht Frankfurt vs Borussia Monchengladbach

The later kickoff is a clash between Frankfurt and Monchengladbach. The visitors to the Commerzbank Arena are in good form unbeaten in their last three away games as they prepare to visit a Frankfurt side who have lost their last three.

Monchengladbach’s brilliant way of filling the stands with cardboard cut-outs of fans

Rose’s side are accustomed to playing behind closed doors as they have done so already this season when they played a rearranged fixture against Koln, which they won 2-1. The foals have spent chunks of the season at the top, but now their focus is securing Champions League football for the first time since 2016. 

What Frankfurt do have in their favour is the attacking names of Silva, Kostic and Dost all experienced in goal-scoring – something they’ll need as they go up against the league third-best defensive outfit. Gladbach captain, Stindl, is doubtful due to fitness concerns which will give Embolo the chance to step up to the plate.

Cologne vs Mainz

In-form Cologne host struggling Mainz to kick off Sunday’s fixtures. Cologne, who have earned 12 points from a possible 18, are more in the question for Europe than any relegation talk since Gisdol has managed to turn their fortune around. 

Mainz, on the other hand, needs to get things going again as they’re in danger of slipping into the bottom three. With leading striker, Mateta suspended for this game the goal-scoring duty will once again fall on Quaison who hasn’t had many problems with it so far scoring 12 in 24 games. 

Union Berlin vs Bayern Munich

Now it’s time to turn our attention to the seventh-consecutive German champions. Bayern Munich travels to the league’s surprise package, Union Berlin. Die Eisernen are closer to a European finish than the relegation places which reflects the wonders coach Urs Fischer has performed for the Berlin-based side. 

Meanwhile, for Bayern, Hansi Flick has managed to steady the ship and even get it sailing again as they sit four points clear with an eighth consecutive title in their sights. With Lewandowski back from injury it means former Dortmund defender Subotic will have the daunting task of stopping him from increasing his already impressive goal tally (25).

The notable absence for the Bavarians is that of Coutinho, but it shouldn’t hurt Bayerns prowess too much as the likes of Perisic, Coman and Goretzka are all too happy to slot in. Will Bayern prove too good to be stopped?

Werder Bremen vs Bayer Leverkusen

The weekend of Bundesliga action concludes with Werder Bremen playing Bayer Leverkusen. Both sides are almost at polar opposites of the form spectrum meaning Leverkusen are heavy favourites for the Monday night clash.

If Bremen’s form was bad 1 point from their last six games, their injury list is even worse. Augustinsson, Klaassen and Bundesliga ever-present Pizarro are all out for Monday’s game. Although Leverkusen are also missing players, most notably Volland, wonderkid Havertz is more than capable of filling the void.

Bremen are on a historically bad run of form, losing their last six home games, failing to score in five. In stark contrast to their hosts, Bayer have earned 19 points in 2020, only Bayern and Dortmund have earned more.

No matter what happens at the weekend, it will be good to see football back on our screens – there is only so much gardening one person can do. With the Bundesliga returning, let’s hope the other leagues can follow, safety permitting. 

#germany #wolfsburg #coronavirus #leverkusen #bundesliga #bayern #football #dortmund