Bayern are looking to carry on their unprecedented winning streak going into match day 10 in the Bundesliga at home to Köln, while André Schubert’s Gladbach are looking to continue their revival at home to high-flying Schalke. Meanwhile bottom-club, Augsburg, face Thomas Tuchel’s Dortmund at the Westfalenstadion.
Bundesliga This Week: Thomas Müller, André Hahn and Paul Verhaegh.
Ferocious Müller looking to extend his impressive goal-scoring tally
Thomas Müller has always been known for his goal-scoring capabilities for both club and country. In fact, the German has 15 goals already for Bayern and Germany, including the winning goal in last weekend’s 1-0 win away at Bremen. Yet, he isn’t the top marksman for the Bavarian outfit. That goes to his Polish compatriot, Robert Lewandowski, who is on par with the same goals-to-game ratio as Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.
Bayern face Köln at the Allianz Arena on Saturday looking for their tenth straight Bundesliga win. Köln will be encouraged by Bayern’s rather lacklustre performance in their last league outing in Bremen, plus their midweek loss at the hands of Arsenal in the Champions League. In addition, Köln come with a threat of their own, in the name of Anthony Modeste, who has six goals so far in his first season for the Billy Goats. The North Rhine-Westphalia team lost last weekend at home to Hannover, the team that inflicted Köln’s first home defeat since December 2014. The 26-year-old who has netted nine goals in as many league games will be relying on Douglas Costa’s assisting expertise for his 10th. The Brazilian has already got five assists in his first Bundesliga campaign.
Resurgent André Hahn growing with rejuvenating Gladbach
Interim manager, André Schubert, is looking to continue his start at Gladbach with a fifth win from five at home to André Breitenreiter’s Schalke on Sunday. The Foals, who were bottom over a month ago, are the top flight’s in-form side, with exception to Bayern. With the demolition of Frankfurt, on their own patch last time out, Gladbach will be looking to take that impressive form into this weekend’s game against a Schalke side sitting in a handsome third place. Midfielder, André Hahn, grabbed his first brace for the Borussians for 13 months and, like Gladbach, will be keen to extend his good form in Schubert’s revival. The 25-year-old is expected to feature and exploit his blistering pace against the not-so-fast Schalke back-pairing of Benedikt Höwedes and Joël Matip to aid Gladbach in arguably the featured game this weekend.
Captain Verhaegh key to Augsburg turnaround
Augsburg secured European football for the first time in their history last season, but this time out, the Bavarian outfit sit bottom after the opening nine rounds of fixtures with one win to their name coming against Hannover over a month ago. Captain Paul Verhaegh has been one of few players with consistency; including three of the eight goals Augsburg have scored throughout season – all of which were from the penalty spot. However, they secured their first win in the Europa League with a 1-0 away win at AZ Alkmaar to raise hope approaching their game on Sunday. They face second-placed Dortmund away from home, which will be a difficult task for the Bavarian side. Thomas Tuchel’s men started the campaign with five straight wins before two draws and a loss at Bayern cost them ground made on their challenge at the Bundesliga summit. Since then, Tuchel’s Dortmund have beaten the boss’ former club, Mainz, in the league and Azerbaijan side, Qabala, in the Europa League. The experienced 32-year-old Verhaegh could play an instrumental role in Augsburg’s status in the Bundesliga’s upper echelons.
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