Bundesliga Matchday 26 preview: Geisterspiele I

May 16th was supposed to have been the final day of the season in the Bundesliga.

The coronavirus postponed the season for nine weeks and will now resume with the matches that were supposed to have taken place on the weekend of March 13th thru 15th. 

Numerous safety measures and restrictions have been put in place to ensure the safety of players, coaches, and other stadium staff as games will be played behind closed doors for the foreseeable future.

At the time of this reporting, Germany has had 175,233 confirmed cases of COVID-19 with 7,897 deaths and 151,797 reported recoveries which leaves the number of known active cases to be 15,539. 

The whole world will be watching to see how things go in the Bundesliga as it tries to restart its season and have it completed by June 30th with the DFB Pokal final to be on July 4th. 

We now present an abbreviated preview of Matchday 26 (All times BST). 

BORUSSIA DORTMUND vs. SCHALKE  (Saturday at 2pm, BT Sport)

BVB will look to close the gap between themselves and Bayern Munich at the top while Schalke, winless in their last seven, are looking to consolidate their top six position. This will be the first Revierderby to be played behind closed doors after the lowest attendance this match has ever drawn was 27,000.

RB LEIPZIG vs. SC FREIBURG (Saturday at 2pm, BT Sport)

Red Bull Arena in Leipzig will be empty for this match unlike on their last encounter when they vanquished Spurs. They will be looking to consolidate their top four spot after a goalless draw last weekend against Wolfsburg. Freiburg ended a three-match winless streak with victory over Union Berlin and enter this match one point off sixth-place Schalke.

HOFFENHEIM vs. HERTHA BERLIN (Saturday at 2pm, BT Sport)

Hoffenheim are two points off of sixth despite being winless in their last five in league play. The PreZero Arena has not been a happy hunting ground for the hosts losing seven of 13 there. Hertha are unbeaten in their last five away matches as they look to distance themselves from the bottom three some more. However, they have won just once in their last 12 vs. Hoffenheim.

FORTUNA DUSSELDORF vs. SC PADERBORN (Saturday at 2:30pm, BT Sport)

Dusseldorf are trying to get out of the danger zone while Paderborn is trying to get off the foot of the table. Fortuna have just one win in 2020 while Paderborn have lost four on the bounce. Paderborn has never won a game on Friday night in the Bundesliga (three draws, three losses).

FC AUGSBURG vs. WOLFSBURG  (Saturday at 2:30pm, BT Sport)

Heiko Herrlich takes over for Martin Schmidt as Augsburg look to stop their winless run at five and keep them from the danger zone. Wolfsburg are looking to crack into the top six, but will have to make do without Wouf Weghorst, who is suspended due to yellow-card accumulation.

EINTRACHT FRANKFURT vs. BORUSSIA MÖNCHENGLADBACH (Saturday at 4:45pm, BT Sport)

After netting 10 points out of 12 to start the Ruckrunde, Frankfurt have lost three straight. Yes, they are in the Pokal semifinal and in Europa League, but their dip in league form has seen the fall to 12th in the table and just six points clear of the danger zone. The Foals are after their seventh away win of the season as they look to consolidate their top four credentials after winning their rearranged fixture with FC Cologne.

FC COLOGNE vs. MAINZ (Sunday at 2:15pm, BT Sport)

Despite losing on Wednesday, the Billy Goats remain tenth and are likely to be playing in the top flight next season. They had won three straight prior to Wednesday at Borussia Park. Mainz were pegged back late by Fortuna in their last fixture and ended up losing goalkeeper Robin Zentner for the rest of the season with a ligament injury on his knee. Florian Muller will deputize for the rest of the year.

UNION BERLIN vs. BAYERN MUNICH (Sunday at 4:45, Bt Sport)

Union are also likely to remain in the top flight next season as they are currently 11th in the table. They have a tall order against a Bayern side who have their biggest lead of the season at four points as they seek their eighth straight title. They are unbeaten in their last 15 in all competitions (11 in the Bundesliga).

WERDER BREMEN vs. BAYER LEVERKUSEN (Monday at 7:15pm, BT Sport)

The Green-Whites have ten matches left to save their top flight status. They will not be helped by the absences of Jiri Pavlenka (groin) and Davy Klassen (suspended). They have lost their last six at the Weser-Stadion and haven’t scored in their last five there. Leverkusen are looking to enter the top four after earning a 3-1 advantage in their Europa League tie with Glasgow Rangers. They have earned the third most points (19) in the Ruckrunde behind Bayern (22) and Dortmund (21), both of whom Diie Werkself have beaten this season.