Bundesliga Matchday Nine Preview: Feast!

We hope everyone had a Happy Thanksgiving in the United States and a safe rest of the weekend wherever you are.

Bayern Munich were held last week by Werder Bremen, but their Champions League winning streak is now at 15. Hoffenheim have not had the strongest of starts in the league, but they will be in the Round of 32 in the Europa League and Bayer Leverkusen are set to follow. Let us feast into the upcoming fixtures as we head into Matchday Nine. 

(All times US Central time on ESPN+ unless stated)

VfL WOLFSBURG vs. WERDER BREMEN (Friday at 1:30pm)

Wolfsburg continued their unbeaten streak with a win away to Schalke and moved up to sixth in the table. Wout Weghorst scored for the fourth time in five matches and John Brooks spearheads the joint-stingiest defense in the league allowing just five goals so far. Kevin Mababu and William have returned to training after injuries. 

Werder Bremen got yet another 1-1 draw last weekend, their fifth in succession. However, this 1-1 draw was a little more credible as it was at Bayern. Josh Sargent seet up Maximilian Eggestein for the Green-Whites’ goal and could have gotten a couple more if it weren’t for Manuel Neuer. He and Milot Rashica should continue up front. 

BORUSSIA DORTMUND vs. FC COLOGNE (Saturday at 8:30am)

Erling Haaland continues to score at a torrent pace. He got four in a 33-minute span last weekend against Hertha Berlin and got another one in the Champions League in the victory over Club Brugge on Tuesday. In all competitions, Haaland has 17 goals in 13 matches and is one behind Robert Lewandowski in league play with ten. 

Meanwhile, the Billy Goats lost to the other Berlin side, Union, last Sunday and their winless streak is now at 17 as they lie 17th. It does not help that Jonas Hector continues to be out and it hasn’t helped that they have conceded a league-high six penalties so far. They only have one multi-goal scorer in Sebastian Andersson with two. 

RB LEIPZIG vs. ARMINIA BIELEFELD (Saturday at 8:30am)

Tyler Adams could be at right back as he was last Saturday in the draw against Eintracht Frankfurt. He was rested in the Champions League loss on Tuesday to Paris Saint-Germain. Regardless of who is in the back, they are alongside Wolfsburg with the stingiest defense in the league allowing just five goals.

Bielefeld are currently on a six-match losing streak that sees them in 16th position in the table. Fabian Klos has yet to score on the year. They will need to make their shots count. They have the fewest at 61 shots while their opponents are top in the department with 135. 

UNION BERLIN vs. EINTRACHT FRANKFURT (Saturday at 8:30am)

Die Eisernen continue to be the surprise package in the league. They are unbeaten in their last seven and currently sit fifth in the league after their win last Sunday over Cologne.

Max Kruse has been a large part of that with four goals and five assists in eight matches. Taiwo Awoniyi, on loan from Liverpool, netted his second goal of the season in the win. 

Die Adler are going in the opposite direction as they are winless in their last five. They currently sit 11th after three straight draws. Aymen Barkok has had a hand in Frankfurt’s last three goals, but will be playing no part in Saturday’s proceedings. Bas Dost is set to rejoin Andre Silva in the lineup. Amin Younes and Filip Kostic are also healthy again. 

FC AUGSBURG vs. SC FREIBURG (Saturday at 8:30am):

Despite being reduced to ten men late, Daniel Caligiuri scored a late equalizer for Augsburg against Borussia Mönchengladbach to snatch a point.

The point puts them into 10th position entering this weekend. Alfred Finnbogason could make his 100th competitive appearance for Die Fuggerstädter while Andre Hahn and Rami Khedira could make their 100th league appearances. 

Freiburg have a reputation for overachieving, but that has not been the case this season. They have not won since the opening weekend. They currently sit two points clear of the danger zone. Nicolas Hofer is expected to return to action by Lucas Holer is not. 

VfB STUTTGART vs. BAYERN MUNICH (Saturday at 8:30am)

Die Schwaben have not lost since Matchday One, but will be facing a very tough test in Bayern. They are currently on a run of four successive draws that sees them in eighth in the table. That test gets sterner as they will be without Nicolas Gonzalez who suffered a knee injury after netting in three straight games. Sasa Kalajdzic willhope to rediscover his scoring touch after not scoring in his last five. 

Bayern Munich assured themselves a place in the last 16 of the Champions League with a mostly comfortable 3-1 win over FC Salzburg on Wednesday. Of more pressing concern is that they are just one point clear of Dortmund and Bayer Leverkusen at the top of the table. Lewandowski did not play against Bremen last week, but is expected to feature this weekend to add to his league-leading 11 goals. 

BORUSSIA MÖNCHENGLADBACH vs. FC SCHALKE 04 (Saturday at 11:30am)

Gladbach again dropped points late in league play last week against Augsburg, but recovered nicely in a 4-0 win over Shakhtar Donetsk. Marcus Thuram and Alassane Plea have been together in the lineup just twice this season, but both should feature at Borussia Park on Saturday. They hope to return to winning ways at home in league play has they have a win and three draws fo far. 

A win is what Schalke are craving as their league winless streak extended to 25 after a loss to Wolfsburg. Their last win was on January 17th against Gladbach at the Veltins Arena. Alessandro Schöpf is available again. Along with Germany international Suat Serdar, who returned from a hamstring injury last weekend. The Royal Blues need all the help they can get to get themselves off the bottom of the table. 

BAYER LEVERKUSEN vs. HERTHA BERLIN (Sunday at 8:30am)

Die Werkself is one of two unbeaten sides in the Bundesliga along with Wolfsburg and are winners in their last five. Lucas Alario is in form himself with three straight braces in league play and seven goals in his last five matches. A 4-1 win over Hapoel Beer-Sheva in the Europa League all but assures they will be in the Round of 32 in that competition. 

Hertha are looking for more consistency. They lost last time out against Dortmund after a win over Augsburg. Matheus Cunha is finding some form with four goals in his last three matches. It will be he, Krzysztok Piatek, and Dodi Lukebakio who will need to supply the goals for Hertha with Jhon Cordoba out for the rest of the year. 

MAINZ 05 vs. HOFFENHEIM (Sunday at 11am) 

The 05ers finally got in the win column after victory over Freiburg. That win has Mainz oout of the drop zone and into 15th. Jean-Philippe Mateta scored a hat trick in a 38-minute span last weekend and now has seven goals on the year. Mainz will also be boosted with the return of Danny Latza from suspension. 

Andrej Kramaric is also on seven goals for the year. The Croatian international returned last week after missing four matches in isolation. Kramaric was also on the scoresheet in the 2-0 win over Slovan Liberec that sees Hoffenheim through to the last 32 of the Europa League. Ryan Sessegnon got his maiden goal last week the Sinsheimers. 

 

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