The Matchday Preview

Another Bundesliga weekend is here! How will FC Bayern react after Pokal elimination? Can Dortmund register their first away victory? And so much more!

Another Bundesliga weekend is here! How will FC Bayern react after Pokal elimination? Can Dortmund register their first away victory? And so much more!

VfB Stuttgart v Union Berlin

VfB Stuttgart’s search for consistent league form continued on the weekend, with a 2-2 draw against Werder Bremen. The results leaves them in 9th place after 12 matchdays, with 10 fewer points than they had at the same stage last season.

It is hard to pin exactly where things have gone wrong, with Ermedin Demirovic’s personal campaign almost proving a symbol for Stuttgart’s wider struggles. The Bosnian international has a solid 7-goal return in 12 matches, yet it nevertheless feels incredibly disjoined what he has delivered so far. The lofty standard Serhou Guirassy set last campaign was never attainable, but the loss of key figures across the pitch has taken the automatisms out of Stuttgart’s game, with each fixture posing a new challenge and struggle for the side.

Union Berlin also have significant struggles, but they do enter this fixture with a significant advantage in preparation time. While VfB Stuttgart had just 72 hours to recover from their DFB-Pokal clash with Jahn Regensburg, Union enjoyed over six days of rest following their elimination from the cup at the hands of 3. Liga side Arminia Bielefeld in the previous round.

That October 30th defeat marked a turning point in Union’s season, setting off a winless streak that has stretched to five Bundesliga matches. Their most recent setback, a 2-1 loss to Bayer Leverkusen, underscored the side’s glaring attacking deficiencies. Union currently have the joint-worst offensive record in the league, with Woo-Yeong Jeong’s goal last weekend breaking a painful 413-minute scoring drought.

While VfB Stuttgart face struggles of their own, Union cannot afford to rely solely on their traditionally robust defensive structure to earn points.

Prediction: VfB Stuttgart Win

Bayer Leverkusen v St. Pauli

Bayer Leverkusen have faced their share of challenges this season, but last week provided a significant confidence boost as they continue their pursuit of silverware on three fronts. In the Bundesliga, they secured a hard-fought 2-1 win at Union Berlin’s Stadion an der Alten Försterei. Jeremie Frimpong opened the scoring within two minutes, but Union Berlin quickly equalized in the 29th minute. Union’s tough home atmosphere and defense has stifled many teams from coming away with three points this season, but Leverkusen found the breakthrough they needed in the 71st minute when Patrik Schick scored his fifth goal from his last three league appearances.

This victory lifted Leverkusen to third place in the Bundesliga, but perhaps even more significant was their 1-0 win in the DFB Pokal on Tuesday. For the second time this season, manager Xabi Alonso faced a challenging away fixture at the Allianz Arena, this time opting for a bold tactical formation that did not feature a true center-forward. He placed his trust in the speed of Frimpong to exploit Bayern Munich's high defensive line, and it paid off early when Frimpong’s off-ball run forced Bayern’s Manuel Neuer into a red-card challenge in the 20th minute.

Despite the man advantage, Leverkusen didn’t dominate the match. Instead, they maintained a compact defensive shape before second-half substitute Nathan Tella netted a winner in the 69th minute, marking his first goal for the club since March. Although Leverkusen still trail by a solid seven points in the Bundesliga, their strong performances in both the DFB Pokal and Champions League demonstrate that Alonso’s side is far from succumbing to second-season syndrome.