Bundesliga matchday 29 preview: Geisterspeile III

They say that football without fans is nothing and it’s been vitually nothing for home sides since the resumption of the Bundesliga.

The home team has won just four of the 27 matches since play resumed two weeks ago. Will that mark improve? Is it all said and done with the title after Bayern Munich defeated Borussia Dortmund on Tuesday? Will Schalke win again?

We now present a preview of Matchday 29 (All times GMT). 

SC FREIBURG vs. BAYER LEVEREKUSEN (Friday at 7:30pm, BT Sport 1)

Freiburg saw a 3-1 lead slip away in the last 20 minutes against Eintracht Frankfurt on Tuesday. They have not won since the restart and are starting to see their European hopes fade. Nils Petersen could see a return to the starting lineup after scoring as a substitute on Tuesday.

Not even a team on a 12-match unbeaten streak in all competitions, including 11 wins, was able to overcome the home struggles as Bayer Leverkusen fell to a 4-1 defeat against Wolfsburg on Wednesday, subsequently dropping them out of the top four. Star man Kai Havertz has scored four goals since play resumed. 

SCHALKE vs. WERDER BREMEN (Saturday at 2:30pm, BT Sport 1)

The Royal Blues are in a world of hurt right now. They have lost all three of their matches since play resumed and are winless in their last ten dropping to ninth in the table and five points adrift of a Europa League spot. The absence of Suat Serdar and Amine Harit is doing them no favours, the midfield duo have accounted for 13 of Schalke’s 34 league goals so far this term.

The Green-Whites did earn a goalless draw against Borussia Mönchengladbach on Tuesday. They trail Fortuna Dusseldorf by five points for 16th place guaranteeing at least a relegation playoff spot. Bremen have won their last three competitive matches at the Veltins. 

VfL WOLFSBURG vs. EINTRACHT FRANKFURT (Saturday at 2:30pm, BT Sport 2)

Wolfsburg moved three points clear in sixth after their 4-1 win at Leverkusen. USA teen Ulysses Llanez could be in line for his debut off the bench with Admir Mehmedi unlikely to be rushed back from an achilles injury. Wout Weghorst has yet to score in the last three games, but Renato Sanchez has scored twice in that span.

Frankfurt are just two points clear of 16th place Fortuna despite their 3-3 draw against Freiburg. The draw ended a five-match losing streak. Timothy Chandler could start following Stefan Ilsanker’s suspension. Andre Silva has two goals in his last three matches. 

MAINZ vs. HOFFENHEIM (Saturday at 2:30pm, BT Sport 3)

The 05ers are just one point clear of Fortuna after letting a lead slip away against Union Berlin. Robin Quaison, Jean-Philippe Mateta and Karim Onisiwo all expected to start, although Levin Öztunali and Adam Szalai could provide fresh legs if needed after featuring off the bench in the team’s last two games.

Hoffenheim ended a seven-match winless streak with a win over FC Köln on Wednesday thanks to Christoph Baumgartner. Hoffenheim are three points back of sixth-place Wolfsburg heading into this weekend. Ishak Belfodil is definitely out and Andrej Kramaric and Sargis Adamyan both doubtful while Benjamin Hubner is suspended.

HERTHA BERLIN vs. FC AUGSBURG (Saturday at 2:30pm, BT Sport 1 Extra)

Hertha continued their unbeaten run after a hard-fought 2-2 draw at RB Leipzig. After being closer to the bottom of the table, Hertha are now tenth with a chance at the top half of the table. Matheus Cunha has been a sensation since joining Leipzig scoring four goals in seven matches. 

Mid-table is likely the best Augsburg can do after a goalless draw against Paderborn. Die Fuggerstadter have won just twice in their last ten matches and were goalless in five of them. Alfred Finnbogason remains a doubt with a knee injury. 

BAYERN MUNICH vs. FORTUNA DUSSELDORF (Saturday at 5:30pm, BT Sport 1)

Robert Lewandowski has scored against 17 of the current Bundesliga teams. He needs to score against Fortuna to complete the set. Joshua Kimmich scored the lone goal at the Signal Iduna which put Bayern seven points clear at the top and en route possibly to their eighth straight league title. 

It’s been 30 years since Fortuna last beat Bayern, though they did manage a 3-3 draw last year at the Allianz. They do have points in each of their last six matches, though it will be a tough task to end Bayern’s 14-match unbeaten streak. 

BORUSSIA MÖNCHENGLADBACH vs. UNION BERLIN (Sunday at 2:30pm, BT Sport 1)

Gladbach will look to return to winning ways when they host Union Berlin. Results in midweek kept Gladbach in the top four despite a draw at Werder Bremen. Marcus Thuram had scored three goals in the first two matches since play resumed, but was subbed off in the 78th minute at the Weser-Stadion. 

The Iron Men defeated the Foals in the reverse fixture in November. However, they have just one point from the last three matches and are just four points clear of 16th place Fortuna. Robert Andrich was sent off in midweek, so Grischa Prömel is expected to take his place alongside Christian Gentner.

SC PADERBORN vs. BORUSSIA DORTMUND (Sunday at 5pm, BT Sport 1)

Despite three draws in three games, Paderborn are staring at an instant return to Bundesliga 2. They are nine points behind 16th place in the table. They will need wins and nearly had one in November against Dortmund at the Signal Iduna, but for a stoppage-time equalizer by Marco Reus. 

After losing Der Klassiker on Tuesday, Dortmund will try to make it a race for the title, though seven points back with six to go makes it a challenge. At least, they will try to solidify their Champions League place for next year as they are just four points clear of fifth-place Leverkusen. They will have to make do without Erling Haaland, who is out with a knee injury.

FC KÖLN vs. RB LEIPZIG  (Monday at 7:30pm, BT Sport 1)

Despite the Billy Goats winning three of four before the pause, they have just two points from a possible nine since. They look likely to stay in mid-table, but that may change if their poor form continues. They are winless in five attempts against Leipzig.

Leipzig were held once again at home, this time by Hertha Berlin and are in a dogfight for a Champions League spot. Worse, Yussuf Poulsen is out for the season with an ankle injury. Patrik Schick will likely deputise with Timo Werner expected to take a false nine role.