Group A
Napoli will travel to Amsterdam looking to maintain their perfect start against an Ajax side smarting from their late defeat against Liverpool. The Italians have arguably been the standout side in the competition so far and can take a giant leap towards qualification with a victory in the Dutch capital.
Elsewhere it will be a first ever meeting of Liverpool and Rangers at Anfield with both sides needing wins for different reasons. Liverpool will look to Europe to gain some form after stuttering in the league while Rangers are yet to get off the mark in their return to the top table.
Group B
Club Brugge have arguably been the biggest surprise package in the tournament so far and will look to claim another scalp when they host Atletico Madrid.
The Belgians have made a perfect start and another victory would open a big gap between themselves and third place in the group.
Porto will be aiming to get off the mark after two defeats in their first two games when they host Bayer Leverkusen. The Germans are struggling domestically but did defeat Atletico last time out so they’ll have some belief travelling to Portugal.
Group C
Bayern Munich have once more made an impressive start to a Champions League group stage and will get the action underway on Tuesday when they host Viktoria Plzen in the early kickoff.
The German champions defeated their two biggest group rivals in September and will be expecting to dispatch of their Czech visitors to maintain their lead in the group.
Inter Milan meanwhile will host Barcelona in what is the biggest game of the week.
Both sides came up short when facing Bayern and both defeated Plzen so they’ll view these two upcoming games as the key to deciding who will follow Julien Nagelsmann’s side into the last 16.
Group D
Sporting are another side who have impressed, taking six points in what looked the most open group on paper.
They travel to Marseille on Tuesday who desperately need a win if they are to stand any hope of reaching the next round. The French side have started well in the league but have struggled badly in Europe in recent years and will be desperate to give the home support something to cheer.
Tottenham will visit Eintracht Frankfurt in the other Group D clash looking to bounce back from their weekend defeat to bitter rivals Arsenal and take steps towards qualification. It will be far from easy against the Europa League winners who will also have their sights on the latter stages.
Group E
AC Milan head what has been a very tight and unpredictable Group E and will host Chelsea on Wednesday night with injuries to key players disrupting their preparation.
French pair Mike Maignan and Theo Hernandez will miss the clash against Graham Potter’s men who needs points themselves having stuttered in their opening two games.
Salzburg are unbeaten thus far but have also yet to win but a victory over Dinamo Zagreb at home would put them in good stead heading into the turn in the group. The Croatians will be aiming for another surprise victory having stunned Chelsea last month.
Group F
Holders Real Madrid have made a serene start to their title defence and host Shakhtar on Wednesday looking to maintain their 100% record.
The visitors have also made a good start to the group and look favourites to join their hosts in the next round.
Celtic will travel to Leipzig looking to build on their credible draw against Shakhtar last time out and will need to get something to keep their qualification hopes alive as will the bottom side from East Germany.
Group G
Erling Haaland has been in utterly sensational form this season with 17 goals so far and the visit of FC Copenhagen will offer the Norwegian another chance to add to his tally.
The Danes picked up a draw against Sevilla three weeks ago but will be up against a Manchester City side brimming with confidence after sticking six goals past their local rivals Manchester United.
Sevilla have made a terrible start in La Liga and need to get something at home to Borussia Dortmund to avoid being cut adrift in terms of qualification. Victory for the Germans will see them move five points clear of their hosts with just three games to play.
Group H
Benfica have been another surprise outfit this season, winning nine of ten games in all competitions and two 100% records will go head to head in this group when they host PSG.
The Lisbon side claimed a stunning victory away at Juventus last time out and even a point here at home to the French champions will boost their chances of repeating what they did last year when they knocked Barcelona out in the group stages.
Juventus will be looking to avoid the same fate as the Spaniards and nothing less than three points against Maccabi Haifa in Turin will do, with manager Max Allegri under all sorts of pressure.
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Czech Republic striker Patrik Schick, Austrians, defender, Aleksander Dragovic and, midfielder, Julian Baumgartlinger and Finns, goalkeeper, Lukas Hradecky and striker, Joel Pohjanpalo all featured for their nations at the European Championships.
Meanwhile, Tin Jedvaj (Croatia), Karim Bellarabi and Jonathan Tah (Both Germany) who have all made double figures of appearances for their national teams all missed the cut.
Of those who made the tournament, Dragovic will be leaving Leverkusen this summer having agreed to join Red Star Belgrade, while Pohjanpalo’s future looks uncertain having spent the last couple of seasons out on loan.
Away from looking at their futures however, this is how each got on at the Euros, split country by country with the five players representing just three nations between them.
Matchday 1 – Scotland 0-2 Czech Republic
In a game where Scotland applied a lot of pressure going forward and were rarely threatened defensively, Schick was one of the players who made the difference for the Czechs. Heading in a Vladimir Coufal cross just before half-time for the opening goal, before a stunning long range effort just after the break catching out David Marshall from the halfway line saw the forward complete a brace at Hampden Park.
Matchday 2 – Croatia 1-1 Czech Republic
Schick was again named in the starting line up, and again played his part for his side. After taking an elbow to the face on the half hour mark, and winning a penalty in the process, Schick picked himself up to take the spot kick and put the Czechs ahead, sending the keeper the wrong way.
The striker didn’t make much of an impact in the second half and was subbed off with 15 minutes to play.
Matchday 3 – Czech Republic 0-1 England
Schick started, and played 75 minutes, in the Czech’s defeat at Wembley. The striker was kept quiet throughout and failed to even get a shot away.
Round of 16 – Netherlands 0-2 Czech Republic
Patrik Schick started the game up front, and yet again made the difference for his nation. Schick was bearing down on goal when De Ligt lost his footing and handled the ball to receive his marching orders, and the tall forward scored his country’s second goal to wrap up the victory and secure a place in the last eight.
Quarter-Final – Czech Republic 1-2 Denmark
Schick continued his excellent tournament form as his nation faced Denmark in the last eight, but the Czechs fell short after Denmark bossed the first half and gained a two goal lead. The big forward pulled a goal back just after half time, and was generally a nuisance for the Danish defenders, but it wasn’t enough for a reunion with England in the semi-finals.
Matchday 1 – Austria 3-1 North Macedonia
Both Dragovic and Baumgartlinger featured for Austria in their opening game, but neither really made an impact with Dragovic being subbed off at half time, and Baumgartlinger being a substitute in time added on at the end of the game.
Matchday 2 – Netherlands 2-0 Austria
Baumgartlinger missed out on the squad completely as Austria lost 2-0 in Amsterdam. The outgoing Dragovic was again subbed off, but this time lasted until five minutes from time before being replaced.
Matchday 3 – Ukraine 0-1 Austria
Baumgartlinger again missed out on the matchday squad, but Dragovic this time did play for the full 90 minutes as Austria kept a clean sheet to win 1-0 against Ukraine and finish the group in second place, securing a Round of 16 tie against Italy at Wembley.
Round of 16 – Italy 2-1 Austria (AET, 0-0 at FT)
Baumgartlinger was restored to the bench for Austria’s game with Italy, while Dragovic was named from the start. The CB played a commanding role at the back, forming a formidable partnership with Martin Hinteregger and keeping the Italians at bay whenever they came forward in the 90 minutes.
There was little that could be done about either of Italy’s two goals, both of which were very well worked when they finally came about. Dragovic did get himself in the book for a foul in the last minute of extra time, but with Austria now out of the tournament the card means little.
Baumgartlinger didn’t come off the bench in the 120 minutes, meaning his tournament saw him make a disappointing two minutes for his national side, he was always unlikely to feature heavily due to having missed half of the season through a cruciate injury and having only recently returned, but given his lack of minutes his call up may have been to early in his recovery.
Matchday 1 – Denmark 0-1 Finland
The events of this game left people in shock, but the football was not the main talking point as Christian Eriksen suffered a cardiac arrest on the pitch. Thankfully the Dane was resuscitated and pulled through, but the match continued in his absence after a short suspension.
There will be people who say the game should not have been played to a conclusion, but it was, and Leverkusen players Hradecky and Pohjanpalo both played their part in their country’s victory. It was striker Pohjanpalo who netted what proved to be the winning goal on the hour mark, while Hradecky kept a clean sheet, and saved a penalty from Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg with 15 minutes left to play.
Matchday 2 – Finland 0-1 Russia
While Finland were listed as the home team this match was played in Russia. Hradecky and Pohjanpalo both started for the Finns, and within three minutes the latter thought he had added his second goal of the tournament, heading in a cross from the right-hand side, but VAR intervened with the striker a whisker offside.
The striker was lively throughout the first half but was largely wasteful when with the ball in the box. At the other end, Hradecky was largely unchallenged in the first half, but was beaten on the stroke of half time by an excellent Aleksei Miranchuk strike.
Finland struggled to make their mark on the game after the break, with Pohjanpalo a lot quieter than the first half. Hradecky remained largely untested with Russia managing just three shots on target all game.
Matchday 3 – Finland 0-2 Belgium
Pohjanpalo had his quietest game of the tournament, getting just two shots away which were both blocked. Hradecky on the other hand was far busier, and made seven saves, but that wasn’t enough to earn Finland a point as Belgium ran out 2-0 winners.
The Finland keeper was very unfortunate with the first goal, Thomas Vermaelen’s header from a corner came back off the crossbar and hit Hradecky and just crossed the line before the keeper could claw it away.
It was harsh on a keeper who had been largely excellent throughout the game, and the tournament, but it was an error of his own making having tried to catch the ball and knocked it in with his own hand.
There was nothing he could do about the second, however, with Romelu Lukaku finding the bottom corner to seal the game.
Finland had to wait to see if they could make it out of the group in third place, but it wasn’t to be for the Finns this time around.
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]]>A narrow 2-1 defeat to Bayern Munich on 19 December was Leverkusen’s first of the entire season, and saw them concede top spot to the reigning European champions.
Despite this small setback, Leverkusen headed into the winter break with genuine title ambitions still very much in the balance. However, a collapse of the largest magnitude has seen Leverkusen drop outside of the Champions League places, leaving them clinging on to a spot in the Europa League.
Their 0-0 draw against Hoffenheim last night was a true encapsulation of the lifeless shell that Leverkusen have now transformed into.
Gone was the excitement and zeal that saw Peter Bosz’s side dismantle Hoffenheim 4-1 at the BayArena – a result which took them to the top of the Bundesliga for the first time this season.
This performance offered a stark contrast. It was not just the tempo and rhythm that had drained from the side, but they were now under different management, with different ideas – and Leverkusen never quite looked comfortable throughout the whole 90 minutes.
Having taken over in December 2018, Bosz produced a miracle as he took Leverkusen from mid-table to securing the final Champions League place on the final day of the season.
Now, Bosz is out of a job after being relieved of his duties following a staggering 3-0 defeat to struggling Hertha Berlin. The result came in the midst of a run of just three wins in 14 games – his side in complete free-fall.
Maybe it was the right decision to make a change and try and salvage something from what has turned out to be a disastrous season. However, the appointment of an inexperienced coach in Hannes Wolf looks to be one of desperation as opposed to one of real thought.
A slim win over a dismal Schalke gave the former academy coach a winning start, but the performance against Hoffenheim identified all of Leverkusen’s flaws.
Players that had dazzled in the first-half of the season looked like shadows of their former selves, as Hoffenheim comfortably held off Leverkusen’s attack.
It has not just been league form that has curtailed for Die Werkself since the turn of the year however, as their DFB-Pokal and Europa League campaigns were both brought to a sudden stop.
A hugely embarrassing 2-1 defeat to fourth-tiered Rot-Weiss Essen was the low point for Bosz and his side, and it was compounded two weeks later when they were beaten in both legs by the Swiss side, Young Boys, as they were knocked out of the Europa League in the first knockout round.
Taking all of these setbacks into consideration, a complete rebuild is required in the summer, as Leverkusen try to reach the heights that they did in the first half of this campaign.
Ultimately, an ageing squad is at the core of everything, with many burning out after the winter break. A reset is needed in defence as 31 year-old Sven Bender will be retiring at the end of the season, and the midfield two of Exequiel Palacios and Charles Aranguiz will be a combined age of 64 next year.
With some of the old heads in the Leverkusen side not performing to their best standard, even more pressure has been heaped on the shoulders of their youth. Whilst Moussa Diaby sparkled in the first half of the season, the young Frenchman has struggled – his loss of confidence coinciding with the whole team’s.
Whilst the 17-year-old, Florian Wirtz has had a sublime season, he cannot be expected to carry the weight of this side at such a tender age. More is needed from Leverkusen’s experienced heads, and if they don’t step up to the marker then the downward spiral they currently find themselves on is going to get a whole lot steeper.
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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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WERDEN BREMEN vs. FC KOLN (Friday at 1:30pm)
Josh Sargent finally got on the board in the Green-White’s third successive 1-1 draw of the year. Just one loss from the first six matches of the season is a welcome departure from last season. A now-fit Milot Rashica could join Sargent in the attack in place of Manchester United loanee Tahith Chong.
The Billy Goats are the third of the three teams who are winless so far this season and hope to get one before the second international break. Their 6-1 defeat to Bremen on Matchday 34 last season is still fresh in their minds as is the fact that they are on a 16-match winless streak after their 2-1 loss to Bayern Munich.
RB LEIPZIG vs. SC FREIBURG (Saturday at 8:30am)
Leipzig lost top spot in the league after their loss to Borussia Mönchengladbach last Saturday, but are buoyed by their defeat of PSG in the Champions League on Wednesday. Dayot Upamecano has started all ten competitive matches for Leipzig, but this will not be #11 due to a thigh injury. Yussuf Poulsen is expected back in the starting XI after impressing off the bench on Wednesday.
Freiburg have been winless in their last five after an opening day win. They have also dropped a league-high nine points from winning positions so far. Nils Petersen could be back in the starting XI ahead of Lukas Kubler. Petersen leads Freiburg with three goals including one last week which was his 26th strike as a substitute.
UNION BERLIN vs. ARMINIA BIELEFELD (Saturday at 8:30am)
Union are on a record five-match unbeaten streak after their win over 10-man Hoffenheim last week. Andreas Luthe is looking to remain between the sticks with Loris Karius on standby. Captain Christopher Trimmel and defender Robin Knoche are available again after missing out last week.
Bielefeld are currently on a four-match losing streak after Dortmund defeated them at home last weekend. They could fall into the relegation zone if results go against them on Saturday, which they are just two points clear of right now. They might be looking to Cebio Soukou and Sergio Cordova to jump-start the second-most anemic offense with just four goals so far.
MAINZ 05 vs. SCHALKE 04 (Saturday at 8:30am)
Here is the battle at the bottom of the table. The 05ers are in last place with zero points so far. They currently have the second-worst defense (18 shipped) and the joint-third worst attack (five scored). Another loss would be a record to start the season. Last week’s loss matched them with Fortuna Dusseldorf from 1991-92 for six matches winless to start.
Schalke are in 17th and have the worst attack (just three scored) and the worst defense (20 shipped—though eight were against Bayern). Oh, they have not won since January 17th—22 matches ago. They have drawn two of their last four and were easy winners in their DFB Pokal tie against Schweinfurt, 4-1. Hopefully for the Royal Blues, things might be looking up for them.
FC AUGSBURG vs. HERTHA BERLIN (Saturday at 8:30am):
Augsburg got back to winning ways with a 3-1 win over Mainz last time out thanks to a brace from Andre Hahn and a overhead kick from Ruben Vargas. They continue to surprise in sixth place in the table and are the only team to score against Dortmund in the league so far. Florian Niederlechner is a doubt with an abdominal strain, but they are not lacking in attacking depth with Hahn, Michael Gregoritsch and Alfred Finnbogason.
Hertha can only hope to return to winning ways. They got back to getting points after a draw against Wolfsburg ended a four-match losing streak. Matteo Guendouzi impressed off the bench for Hertha Berlin against Wolfsburg and just might get his first start of the season. They have scored ten goals so far this season and boast an attacking trio of their own in Matheus Cunha, Jhon Cordoba, and Dodi Lukebakio.
VfB STUTTGART vs. EINTRACHT FRANKFURT (Saturday at 8:30am)
Die Schwaben are unbeaten since their opening loss. Two wins and three draws have led them to joint-seventh with Union Berlin. Their eleven goals are the fourth-most with only the top three ahead of them. Nicolas Gonzalez, who lead Stuttgart with the goals last season, could start in place of Sasa Kalajdzic who has not scored in his last three.
Meanwhile, Die Adler are winless in their last three after a 1-1 draw with Bremen. The attacking trio of Andre Silva, Bas Dost and Daichi Kamada will be key to getting Frankfurt back to winning ways. They will also be boosted by the return of Filip Kostic who is back to full training after a six-week absence. Defensively they have not had a clean sheet in their last eleven games.
BORUSSIA DORTMUND vs. BAYERN MUNICH (Saturday at 11:30am)
Erling Haaland got a brace against Club Brugge in the Champions League on Wednesday. It was also their seventh clean sheet in nine competitive matches with only Augsburg and Lazio finding the goal against BVB so far this year. Mats Hummels, who has scored BVB’s last three league goals, should return to the fold after missing the Brugge match with a thigh issue.
Bayern had a scare against FC Salzburg on Tuesday, before getting four unanswered goals late and winning 6-2 to extend their winning streak in the Champions League to 14. Bayern are at the top of the goal scorers charts so far in the Bundesliga with 24—11 more than the next in line in BVB. Robert Lewandowski on his own has scored ten in league play which is more than ten teams have in total.
VfL WOLFSBURG vs. HOFFENHEIM (Sunday at 8:30am)
The good news for Wolfsburg is that they have allowed just four goals so far and are one of two teams unbeaten in the Bundesliga. However, they have just scored five this season and have managed five draws from the opening six matches. They are in 11th in the table as a result. John Brooks has been the only defender to start all six matches for the Wolves so far.
Hoffenheim are hoping to transfer their Europa League form into league play after an emphatic 5-0 win over Slovan Liberec from the Czech Republic. Currently in league play, they are winless in their last four after a 3-1 loss to Union last week. Andrej Kramaric, Pavel Kaderabek, and Kasim Adams are available again after being in isolation post-international break, but Sebastian Hoeness is unlikely to rush them back into the fold.
BAYER LEVERKUSEN vs. BORUSSIA MÖNCHENGLADBACH (Sunday at 11am)
Lucas Alario is on a hot streak of his own with five goals in his last three league matches. They will be coming from a trip to Israel after knocking off Hapoel Beer-Sheva in the Europa League. Die Werkself are the only other unbeaten team in the Bundesliga and the lineup will more closely resemble the one that beat Freiburg more than the one that beat Hapoel.
It’s been a good past few days for the Foals. On Saturday, they became the first team to beat RB Leipzig and then travelled to Ukraine and put six past Shakhtar Donetsk to top Group B after draws with Inter Milan and Real Madrid. They will likely be battling Die Werkself for a top four spot assuming the other three will be Bayern, BVB, and Leipzig. Gladbach are another team unbeaten since their opening loss with Dortmund.
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SCHALKE 04 vs. VfB STUTTGART (Friday at 2:30pm)
A horror start doesn’t even begin to describe the Royal Blues’ plight. After last week’s loss in the Revierderby, they are winless in their last 21 matches. Their -17 goal difference is also frightening. Ozan Kabak is serving the fourth of his five-match ban, so he will not be facing his former club.
Die Schwaben have found their strengths to becoming more of a threat on eight points from the first five matches and in fifth place. Stuttgart are unbeaten in their last four, though the most recent result was a 1-1 draw with FC Koln. Sasa Kalajdzic has had a hand in five of the team’s ten goals so far this season.
EINTRACHT FRANFURT vs. WERDER BREMEN (Saturday at 9:30am)
After a decent start, Die Adler had a nightmare against Bayern Munich, losing 5-0. The loss dropped them down to eighth position. They will be looking to bounce back through Andre Silva and Bas Dost who have combined for five of Frankfurt’s seven goals so far. Dost has been a bogey man for Bremen as he has five goals and three assists in four matches against the Green-Whites.
Speaking of the Green-Whites, they are one place above Frankfurt at present. A three-man backline did well to hold Hoffenheim last weekend. However, they were dealt a ghoulish blow as Niklas Fullkrug is out for several weeks with a calf injury. Josh Sargent should start again for Bremen, though it would be news if Milot Rashica did the same.
FC COLOGNE vs. BAYERN MUNICH (Saturday at 9:30am)
The synopsis for the Billy Goats reads like a horror flick: A team with a 15-match winless streak takes on killer team in Bayern Munich. They may have to make do without Jonas Hector due to a neck problem. The last two matches have shown some light though with back-to-back 1-1 draws.
Just facing Bayern these days is a frightening prospect. Just ask Frankfurt and Atletico Madrid. Lokomotiv Moscow almost pulled a shocker on Tuesday, but Joshua Kimmich laid the axe to those hopes as it’s two out of two wins in the Champions League for the Bavarian club. Only Hoffenheim and RB Leipzig have been able to escape with point against Bayern this calendar year, will the Goats be able to do the same?
FC AUGSBURG vs. MAINZ 05 (Saturday at 9:30am)
Augsburg’s trip to Leverkusen was not such a scream as they fell to a 3-1 defeat on Monday. That makes it back-to-back defeats for Die Fuggerstäder. They will have to make do without Alfred Finnbogason who is out with a thigh injury. Florian Niederlechner and Michael Gregoritsch are expected to continue in attack.
It’d be nothing but rocks for the 05ers so far this season as they are still without the meager threat of a single point. The last time Mainz opened a season with five defeats, Jurgen Klopp was their manager in 2005. They will hope for the same happy ending as they had on Matchday Six fifteen years ago with a win.
ARMINIA BIELEFELD vs. BORUSSIA DORTMUND (Saturday at 9:30am)
Bielefeld emerged from the darkness of the lower leagues for the first time in 11 years. However, they are stuck in the dark of three straight losses at present. However, they have made the Schuco a haunted house for Dortmund as they unbeaten in their last six against the Black and Yellow there.
The scary part for BVB is that in their last 17 visits to Bielefeld, they have won just twice. However, it was they who have done the spooking recently with wins over Schalke last Saturday and then Zenit St. Petersburg on Wednesday. They have also done some scary defending allowing just two goals so far in league play.
BORUSSIA MÖNCHENGLADBACH vs. RB LEIPZIG (Saturday at 12:30pm)
It looked like Gladbach would vanquish the big boss in Real Madrid on Tuesday after going 2-0 up, but Real recovered to snatch a point the last few minutes at Borussia Park. What could arguably have been six points in the Champions League is just two as they had a late lead on Inter Milan the previous week. They did come from behind themselves last weekend against Mainz.
RB Leipzig are top of the Bundesliga, but are coming back from their own horror show after being thrashed 5-0 at Manchester United. Die Roten Bullen will be looking to gore the Foals through Angelino, Emil Forsberg and Yussuf Poulsen and remain in the penthouse of the Bundesliga.
SC FREIBURG vs. BAYER LEVERKUSEN (Sunday at 8:30am)
For Freiburg, it started off brightly with a win against Stuttgart, but they are winless in their last four since—though three were draws. Yet, in each of those three draws, Die Breisgauer were ahead. Nils Petersen has not scored in his last three matches. They are hoping the Schwarzwald Stadion can be the haunted house for their opponents as they are unbeaten in their last five home matches.
Leverkusen were the last away team to win at Freiburg, though, on Matchday 29 last season. In fact, Die Werkself have only lost once in their last ten against Freiburg, so they have been Freiburg’s personal demon as of late. Leverkusen are also unbeaten in their first five for the first time in eleven years—though they will be coming off a loss in the Europa League to Slavia Prague on Thursday.
HERTHA BERLIN vs. VfL WOLFSBURG (Sunday at 11am)
Matteo Guendouzi may make his Bundesliga debut for Hertha. It’s not a moment too soon as Hertha have lost four on the bounce after their opening win against Bremen. Another bright spot for Hertha is that Jhon Cordoba has three goals in his last five matches, though his opener was not enough to hold off RB Leipzig last week.
Wolfsburg finally got a win last weekend against Bielefeld after four straight draws. They are one of three unbeaten teams left in the Bundesliga along with Leipzig and Leverkusen. However, they will be without captain Josuha Guilavogui who came off in the first half last week with a torn thigh muscle.
HOFFENHEIM vs. UNION BERLIN (Monday at 1:30pm):
Andrej Kramaric could be out of isolation after participating in international duty with Croatia. The two league matches without him were a loss to Dortmund and a draw to Bremen. However, their Europa League campaign has been unblemished with wins over Red Star Belgrade and Gent this past Thursday. Spurs loanee Ryan Sessegnon could make his full debut with the Sinsheimers in this one as well.
Loris Karius’s debut for Union could wait a little longer as he suffered a foot injury in training. Union are unbeaten in their last four, but their last three have all been draws. Defender Nico Schlotterbeck and forward Anthony Ujah are definitely out, but midfielder Grischa Prömel could return to the squad after missing last week’s draw with Freiburg. Five Bundesliga matches without defeat would be a new club record for Union.
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RB Leipzig also won handily in their match with Mainz. Arminia Bielefeld began life anew in the Bundesliga with a point, while Stuttgart began with a tough home loss to Freiburg. This week sees the eight-time consecutive champions head to Hoffenheim after winning the UEFA Super Cup in Budapest on Thursday, while Augsburg will hope to avoid yet another hat trick by a BVB player. That and more as we preview Matchday two.
(All times US Central time on ESPN+ unless stated)
HERTHA BERLIN vs. EINTRACHT FRANKFURT (Friday at 1:30pm):
Hertha kicked off the season with an emphatic win of their own, 4-1, over Werder Bremen. Jhon Cordoba opened his account with a goal on his debut. Matheus Cunha, Dodi Lukbakio, and Peter Pekarik also scored for The Old Lady of Berlin. It was an encouraging start for Hertha who are looking to join the elite of the Bundesliga.
Andre Silva helped Die Adler rescue a point against Bielefeld last weekend. Forward Ragnar Ache and left-back Jetro Willems have both returned to training following injuries that kept them out of the season opener, but while Ache could be in contention to make the squad for the trip to Berlin, Willems is still some time off. Two has not been a lucky number for Frankfurt as they are winless in their last seven Matchday Two fixtures (Two draws, five defeats).
BORUSSIA MÖNCHENGLADBACH vs. FC UNION BERLIN (Saturday at 8:30am)
Marcus Thuram is expected to start after coming off the bench in the 3-0 loss to Dortmund, last Saturday. Thuram missed the last three matches of last season with an ankle injury as well as the Pokal opener against FC Oberneuland. Fellow Frenchman Alassane Plea could also feature as well. Both scored double-digits for the Foals last season. Borussia Park was home sweet home last season as they lost just three times there with only Bayern posting a better home record.
Die Eisernen will be without Christian Gentner due to a calf injury. Sebastian Griesbeck is expected to deputize in his place. Former Foal Max Kruse could feature after he came on late in Union’s 3-1 loss to Augsburg. Taiwo Awoniyi arrives on loan from Liverpool. Union lost four of their last five away matches of last season with only Fortuna Dusseldorf and SC Paderborn (both relegated) posting worse away records.
BAYER LEVERKUSEN vs. RB LEIPZIG (Saturday at 8:30am)
Patrik Schick faces the team he spent the second half of last season on loan from Roma in RB Leipzig. Schick was actually Leipzig’s second-top scorer last season behind Timo Werner, but was a second half substitute in the 0-0 draw against Wolfsburg, last Sunday. However, he might get his full debut on Saturday. Leon Bailey might also feature as well.
Despite no longer having Schick or Werner, Leipzig still made a convincing start to the season with a 3-1 win over Mainz following goals by Emil Forsberg, Amadou Haidara, and Yussuf Poulsen. There is also now Norwegian striker Alexandar Sorloth in Leipzig’s ranks. Sorloth scored 33 goals in 49 appearances with Turkish side Trabzonspor last season.
MAINZ 05 vs. VfB STUTTGART (Saturday at 8:30am)
The 05ers lost last Sunday to Leipzig, but will be encouraged by Jean Philippe Mateta scoring again. He already has more goals in all competitions than he did last season which was riddled with injury. Youth is also being served with Paul Nebel becoming Mainz’s youngest ever player in the Bundesliga, aged just 17 years and 346 days old, when he came on late in the match. Niklas Tauer, 19, also made his league debut for the 05ers.
Stuttgart’s rally from 3-0 down came up short against Frankfurt in their return to the top flight. Gonzalez remains out wiith a thigh injury while substitute Sasa Kalajdzic, who scored last Saturday, could start for Die Schwaben. Stuttgart had 22 attempts on goal last week with only Bayern taking more shots on Matchday One.
FC AUGSBURG vs. BORUSSIA DORTMUND (Saturday at 8:30am)
Last season saw Die Függerstäder go 2-0 and 3-1 up on BVB before Erling Haaland came off the bench, scored a hat-trick and helped Dortmund to a 5-3 victory. Heiko Herrlich’s side opened the season with a 3-1 success against Union Berlin. Ruben Vargas, Michael Gregoritsch, and Andre Hahn all scored for Augsburg in the victory.
Of course, it is not just Haaland who Augsburg should watch out for. There’s also Jadon Sancho and Gio Reyna, the latter of whom opened the scoring against Gladbach. It’s Reyna’s play that will likely keep Marco Reus on the bench. BVB has a history of players scoring hat tricks against Augsburg such as Haaland’s last season. The other three were Robert Lewandowski, Pierre Aubameyang, and Paco Alcacer.
ARMINIA BIELEFELD vs. FC COLOGNE (Saturday at 8:30am)
Bielefeld made an encouraging start to the first season in the top flight in 11 years after drawing at Frankfurt. Ceibo Soukou scored Bielefeld’s goal while Doan was a constant threat in the match. However, the defensive lineup will be different with Nathan de Medina out and Anderson Lucoqui a major doubt.
Sebastian Andersson scored in his debut for the Billy Goats, last weekend, though they would end up losing 3-2 to Hoffenheim. Andersson himself faces a late fitness test after a knock in training. Cologne have no problems scoring as they have done so in their last 21 league matches (longest of any team in the league), but keeping it out at the other has been a problem as they have no clean sheet in their last 12.
FC SCHALKE 04 vs. WERDER BREMEN (Saturday at 11:30am)
This is a battle between two teams who suffered brutal defeats last week. The Royal Blues suffered an 8-0 thrashing at the hands of Bayern last Friday. They are now winless in their last 17 and have scored just nine goals in 18 league matches this calendar year, keeping a clean sheet in just five of those matches (both worst records in the Bundesliga). It does not help that Suat Serdar will be out injured.
The Green-Whites suffered a 4-1 loss at home to Hertha Berlin after escaping relegation last season by away goals. Josh Sargent did start for Bremen last week and Tahith Chong may feature as well. The Veltins Arena has been a happy hunting ground for Bremen as they have won their last four matches there.
TSG HOFFENHEIM vs. BAYERN MUNICH (Sunday at 8:30am)
Andrej Kramaric scored a hat trick in the 3-2 win over Cologne, last Saturday. His last three competitive matches have seen him score a total of nine goals for Die Kraichgauer. Coach Sebastian Hoeness (Uli’s nephew) will be looking forward to facing his old team after guiding Bayern’s reserves to the 3. Liga title last season.
It continues to be December 7, since Bayern last lost a competitive match after they took home the UEFA Super Cup on Thursday in Budapest, beating Sevilla in extra time. Last season saw Bayern thump Hoffenheim, 6-0, at the PreZero Arena, but will the wear and tear from Thursday catch up with them on Sunday? Squad rotation is very likely with one eye towards the German Super Cup next Wednesday against Dortmund. Alphonso Davies was rested on Matchday One, but came on as a substitute in extra time on Thursday. Bayern could be the first to score ten goals in the first two games of a Bundesliga season (need two more) and the first to win 11 successive away league matches.
SC FREIBURG vs, VfL WOLFSBURG (Sunday at 11am)
Frieburg are coming off an away win against Stuttgart where they were 3-0 up after 48 minutes before having to hold on late and finish 3-2. Nils Petersen extended his club record with 88 competitive goals, last Saturday. Florian Müller will continue to deputize in goal with Mark Flekken still out with an elbow injury. Die Breisgauer are looking for their first four-match home win streak in four years after winning the last three home fixtures of last season.
Wout Weghorst will look to get back on the scoresheet after nobody on Wolfsburg did last Sunday against Leverkusen. The road was somewhat better for the Wolves last season as nine of their 13 wins came from away the Volkswagen Arena. John Brooks is likely to start ahead of Maxence Lacroix who picked up a knock in Europa League play in midweek which saw Wolfsburg dispose of Ukrainian side Desna, 2-0.
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]]>Outside of all of those, we have plenty to decide in this Matchday 34.
CHAMPIONS LEAGUE: The only way that RB Leipzig are not playing Champions League next season is if they fall at FC Augsburg, Borussia Monchengladbach win against Hertha Berlin, and Bayer Leverkusen defeat Mainz with a goal difference swing of at least 28 (we are not calculating in case Gladbach draw).
It’s really between Gladbach and Leverkusen for the final Champions League spot and it’s advantage Foals after Die Werkself fumbled at Hertha last week. The simplest math is Gladbach get the final spot if they win. A draw will be enough unless Leverkusen win by 10+ goals. Leverkusen’s simplest maths is for them to win and hope Gladbach stumble against Hertha.
EUROPA LEAGUE: Fifth and sixth place will go into the group stage while seventh will be in the second qualification round since the DFB Pokal will be contested by teams already assured of European football next season (Bayern and Leverkusen). Wolfsburg and Hoffenheim are battling for that final group stage spot. Right now, it is Wolfsburg’s by goal difference. Realistically, they need to match the result Hoffenheim get at Borussia Dortmund. Wolfsburg are home to Bayern Munich.
RELEGATION: Werder Bremen were last relegated in 1980. That will happen again if they fail to defeat FC Köln or if Fortuna Dusseldorf defeat Union Berlin. A draw for Fortuna will likely bee enough barring a huge win for Bremen. The best either can do is 16th which means the relegation playoff against the third place team in Bundesliga 2.
BUNDESLIGA 2: The final set of matches will take place on Sunday. Stuttgart will join Arminia Bielefeld in the top flight with a draw at home against Darmstadt. They only way Stuttgart will miss automatic promotion is if they lose and Heidenheim make up a goal difference swing of 12—at Bielefeld. Heidenheim will reach the playoff with a win over the Bundesliga 2 champions. A draw opens the door for Hamburg to get in with a win over Sandhausen.
Wehen Wiesbaden and Dynamo Dresden are likely relegated barring astronomical occurrences.
Matchday 34 Fixtures (all matches at 8:30am CT):
VfL Wolfsburg vs. Bayern Munich (FS1)
Borussia Dortmund vs. Hoffenheim (FS2)
Borussia Mönchengladbach vs. Hertha Berlin (Fox Soccer Plus)
Bayer Levenkusen vs. Mainz
Eintracht Frankfurt vs. SC Paderborn
Weerden Bremen vs. FC Köln
SC Freiburg vs. Schalke
FC Augsburg vs. RB Leipzig (TUDN)
Union Berlin vs. Fortuna Dusseldorf
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]]>The Bundesliga created it’s fair share of joy and despair in midweek. Bayern Munich secured their eighth successive league title after a 1-0 win at Werder Bremen. Paderborn will return to Bundesliga 2 after losing last to Union Berlin. Arminia Bielefeld will return to the top flight after an 11 year absence after defeating bottom side Dynamo Dresden (who could go down to 3. Liga this weekend). With two matches to go there is still so much to be decided.
CHAMPIONS LEAGUE: RB Leipzig will assure themselves Champions League football for next season with a win over Borussia Dortmund, or if they better Borussia Mönchengladbach’s results who take on Paderborn. Bayer Leverkusen will also join them if they defeat Hertha Berlin and Gladbach loses.
EUROPA LEAGUE: Marco Rose’s side are assured at least the Europa League. Seventh place will be in the qualifying rounds as DFB Pokal Finalists, Bayern and Leverkusen, have already qualified for Europe. Right now, Wolfsburg and Hoffenheim are level on points with the former having a superior goal difference. Freiburg are in eighth and one point further back.
Wolfsburg are away to Schalke, Hoffenheim are home to Union Berlin, and Freiburg are away at Champions Bayern.
RELEGATION: Mainz can achieve complete safety with a win over Werder Bremen, who will go down if they lose and if Fortuna Dusseldorf defeats Augsburg. A Mainz win also confirms that Fortuna or Bremen will at most be in the relegation playoff against third place in Bundesliga 2.
BUNDESLIGA 2: The penultimate slate of matches will take place on Sunday. Stuttgart can join Arminia Bielefeld in the top flight if they defeat FC Nürnberg and if fourth-place Heidenheim fail to defeat Hamburg SV. Dresden’s descent into 3. Liga will be confirmed if they fail to defeat SV Sandhausen or if Karlsruher defeat Arminia. Wehen Wiesbaden are relegated if they lose to Darmstadt and if Karlsruher win,
Matchday 33 Fixtures (all matches at 8:30am CT):
Bayern Munich vs. SC Freiburg (FS1)
RB Leipzig vs. Borussia Dortmund (FS2)
Schalke vs. VfL Wolfsburg (Fox Soccer Plus)
Hoffenheim vs. Union Berlin (Fox Soccer Matchpass)
Hertha Berlin vs. Bayer Leverkusen
Mainz vs. Werder Bremen
FC Köln vs. Eintracht Frankfurt
SC Paderborn vs. Borussia Mönchengladbach
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