The Matchday Preview

Another exciting Bundesliga weekend awaits. Last season's top two face off on Friday, Union are off to the Allianz Arena, & Nuri Sahin is under pressure against RB Leipzig

Another exciting Bundesliga weekend awaits. Last season's top two face off on Friday, Union are off to the Allianz Arena, & Nuri Sahin is under pressure against RB Leipzig.

Season Prediction Accuracy: 38/72 (52.77%)

Bayer Leverkusen v VfB Stuttgart

It’s been a week of mixed emotions in Leverkusen. In the Bundesliga, Xabi Alonso faced another setback as his team squandered two leads, leaving the Weser-Stadion with just a point. Defensive frailties stood out as Die Werkself conceded their 14th and 15th goals of the season. What Leverkusen conceded last season after 22 Bundesliga matches, they have now already let in after 8 fixtures this campaign!

Fortunately for Leverkusen, they had a chance to bounce back quickly in the DFB Pokal. A confident 3-0 victory over SV Elversberg not only showcased their top-flight quality but also reignited the BayArena’s spirit ahead of a crucial Bundesliga clash on Friday.

Patrik Schick capitalized on a rare start, scoring twice within the first ten minutes. Yet, the goal of the night belonged to Aleix Garcia. From nearly 25 meters, the Spanish international delivered a stunning free-kick that curled perfectly around the Elversberg wall, leaving goalkeeper Nicolas Kristof with no chance. Remarkably, it was Garcia’s first direct free-kick goal since a similar strike with FC Girona in 2019.

To keep pace with FC Bayern and RB Leipzig, Bayer Leverkusen must now beat VfB Stuttgart in a fixture that promises fireworks. Although Stuttgart has gone winless in their last 13 meetings with Leverkusen, recent clashes have been anything but predictable. Since Hoeneß and Alonso took charge, the past three matchups between these sides have produced 14 goals, with Leverkusen snatching a result in second-half stoppage time on every occasion.

Despite this negative record, Stuttgart enters this contest with renewed confidence after back-to-back wins. El Bilal Toure’s decisive goals in their 1-0 win in Turin and a 2-1 victory over Holstein Kiel have buoyed the team. On Tuesday, Stuttgart edged FC Kaiserslautern 2-1 in the Pokal, with Chris Führich’s strike in the 76th minute sealing the win.

It’s been a challenging season for Führich, who had an impressive 2023/24 campaign and was even selected for Julian Nagelsmann’s EURO 2024 squad. After losing his starting role in September and missing the recent international camp due to injury, his goal against Kaiserslautern marked his first goal or assist this season. It’s a much-needed boost for the 26-year-old as he looks to make an impact in the Bundesliga once more.

Prediction: Bayer Leverkusen Win

FC Bayern v Union Berlin

After a challenging period in which Bayern Munich managed only one win from five matches between September 28 and October 23, Der Rekordmeister appears to be regaining momentum with decisive victories in both the Bundesliga and DFB Pokal.

In the league, Bayern convincingly dispatched VfL Bochum with a 5-0 victory at the Vonovia Ruhrstadion, exorcizing last season’s shock 3-2 loss in the same fixture. Harry Kane, Jamal Musiala, and Michael Olise all found the net, but the highlight was Leroy Sané’s first Bundesliga goal in nearly a year.

Sané’s 2024 has been difficult; the winger has dealt with a persistent pubic bone injury, endured a disappointing European Championship, and struggled to find favor under Vincent Kompany, failing to start a single Bundesliga or Champions League match this season. With his contract set to expire, Bayern are hopeful for an extension, but Sané will need to prove his value if he’s to secure a long-term deal in Munich. 

Fortunately, the winger took another step forward mid-week, netting a goal in Bayern’s 4-0 rout of Mainz 05. While his performance was overshadowed by Jamal Musiala’s first-half hat-trick, there are promising signs that Sané could return to peak form before year-end.

Union Berlin heads to the Allianz Arena to face FC Bayern. In 10 encounters, Union have never beaten Der Rekordmeister, though this match might offer their best chance yet. With 15 points, Bo Svensson’s side sits fourth in the Bundesliga, challenging for a place in the Champions League rather than struggling against relegation like last season. 

Last weekend, Union took another positive step forward with a hard-fought 1-1 draw against Eintracht Frankfurt. After falling behind in the 14th minute, they gained control of the second half, leveling the score in the 66th minute and narrowly missing a stoppage-time winner due to a tight VAR call.

The only unfortunate factor comes from Union’s midweek outing in the DFB Pokal where Die Eiserne were humbled 2-0 by 3-tier opposition Arminia Bielefeld. Svensson made 5 changes to the side that started against Frankfurt on Sunday, but the rotation didn’t pay off as Union looked disjointed in attacking passages and prone to catastrophic errors in their own build-up phases. 

Prediction: FC Bayern Win 

Eintracht Frankfurt v VfL Bochum

Eintracht Frankfurt may have only secured a draw in the Bundesliga over the weekend, but Die Adler can approach this fixture with plenty of confidence. Dino Toppmöller’s side remains unbeaten since the season's opening match, and their 1-1 draw in Berlin is a commendable result, especially considering Union had not dropped a single point at the Stadion an der Alten Försterei until that point.