Leverkusen’s high-flyers face a tough test, VfB have several glimmers of hope and Fürth top Bayern in one category: A preview of the 23rd Bundesliga matchday.
Mainz – Leverkusen: Bayer beckon a Bundesliga record
5:1, 5:2, 4:2 – Bayer Leverkusen are literally flying towards the Champions League. On Friday (8.30pm), however, the best team in the second half of the season will face something of an antagonist: while Bayer could set the Bundesliga record with a fourth appearance in a row with at least four goals, 1. FSV Mainz 05 have the best defence in the league. 24 goals conceded after 22 games are a whopping 19 and 24 fewer than at the same point in 2020/21 and 2019/20, respectively, and Svensson’s eleven have played to nil seven times at home alone, most recently four in a row. Will Schick, Diaby, Wirtz & Co. also grit their teeth?
Stuttgart – Bochum: Will VfB profit from Bayern’s curse?
Before the season, VfL Bochum were certainly regarded by many VfB Stuttgart fans as one of the clubs they would leave behind. But while the promoted team was still one point and four places behind the Swabians after the first-round duel, it has since distanced them to ten points and six places. VfB, winless for seven games, will be under massive pressure on Saturday (3.30 pm). What gives them a little hope: Tiago Tomas’ brace in Leverkusen, Kalajdzic’s possible comeback, the yellow suspension of VfL perennial favourite Rexhbecaj – and the Bayern curse: the last eight teams to beat the record champions did not win the following match.
Wolfsburg – Hoffenheim: Kruse scores favourite opponent
While VfB are more than ever threatened with relegation, VfL Wolfsburg have moved away from the unwelcome ranks with two wins in a row. Against TSG Hoffenheim, who will have to do without Geiger and Grillitsch who are both suspended, coach Florian Kohfeldt could already set his personal Bundesliga record: three wins in a row. Will new signing Kruse once again be the decisive factor? He scored against no other club in the Bundesliga as often as he did against TSG (8).
Augsburg – Freiburg: Duel of the most experienced coaches is cancelled
Like Hoffenheim, SC Freiburg are also in a tight race for Champions League 4th place. However, with only one second-round win, the Breisgau side recently squandered a few points and places – and now they head to third-bottom FC Augsburg, who have never lost a home game against Freiburg. Because Markus Weinzierl (218 BL games) has to be replaced by his co-coach trio Reiner Maurer, Tobias Zellner and Jonas Scheuermann, the duel between the two most experienced current Bundesliga coaches and Christian Streich (309 BL games) is cancelled.
Bielefeld – Union: Knoche’s impressive series snaps
It’s hard not to believe in a Kruse effect: since the ex-top scorer’s surprise move to Wolfsburg, Union Berlin haven’t scored or scored again. The last time there had been two defeats in a row was in January 2021. Coach Urs Fischer, who turns 56 the day after the match, will also have to do without defender Knoche for the away game at Arminia Bielefeld – the worst home team in the league – who will be missing this time after 56 consecutive starting appearances due to a yellow suspension.
Cologne – Frankfurt: Eleven points better vs. eleven points worse
Both are separated by just one point, both are within striking distance of the top flight, and yet 1. FC Köln and Eintracht Frankfurt meet in different emotional states. FC are eleven points better off than they were after 22 matchdays in 2020/21 – SGE eleven points worse. The fourth-worst team in the second half of the season also has a very specific problem with the kick-off time: of the last 15 6.30pm games on Saturday, Eintracht have not won a single one.
Bayern – Fürth: The new weakness of the record champions
How does FC Bayern react in the league to the 2:4 in Bochum? It was already the fourth defeat of the season for the leaders – all conceded against an opponent from the lower half of the table. And that is saying something: In the previous nine seasons together (!), this had only happened to Bayern three times. It is unlikely that last-placed SpVgg Greuther Fürth will be able to repeat this on Sunday (3.30 pm). But the Munich side had better not expect a match ball: Fürth conceded fewer goals than them in the second half of the season (8:9).
Dortmund – Gladbach: Why the first leg was an exception
This time Borussia Dortmund’s professionals only find out shortly before kick-off whether and how Bayern have advanced in the title race. In the away game at Union Berlin, coach Marco Rose successfully honed stability, and on Sunday (17.30) against his former club Borussia Mönchengladbach, it will become clear how sustainable that was. The first leg was lost 0:1 – it was the only one of the last 54 games in which BVB remained goalless. However, the Foals have always been welcome at home recently: Of the most recent 15 home games against them, Schwarz-Gelb won 14.
Hertha – Leipzig: Will RB remain unblemished at the Olympiastadion?
At Hertha BSC, the change of coach seems to have fizzled out again, the Berliners are still winless in the second half of the season and once again in acute danger of relegation. Investor Lars Windhorst caused further unrest during the week with his harsh criticism of the club’s management. The fact that the in-form Champions League aspirants RB Leipzig are coming to the Olympiastadion on Sunday (7.30 p.m.) is of little help, not even historically: Hertha have lost all five home games against the Saxons – and have always conceded at least three goals.
