Bundesliga Matchday 11 Preview
The Bundesliga returns in style this weekend as the November international break comes to a close. There are multiple marquee match-ups on the table and fans around the world will be treated to some enticing encounters, one of which will be Bayern Munich‘s game at Borussia Dortmund, which will take place on Saturday. Elsewhere, Bayer Leverkusen will look to end Red Bull Leipzig’s incredible run of form, as the upstarts aim to end the weekend top of the league.
Bayler Leverkusen vs Red Bull Leipzig
It could be a potentially historic match for Red Bull Leipzig on Friday night. The club from Saxony will become the first newly-promoted club to go unbeaten in their opening 11 matches if they can come away with a positive result.
For Bayer Leverkusen, the chance is at hand to close the gap on the top five places. A win could potentially take them up to fifth—though unlikely—if results go their way. They have only lost once at home this season in all competitions, and are coming into the match off the back of two consecutive victories against Wolfsburg and Tottenham Hotspur.
Darmstadt vs Ingolstadt
This will be an important early relegation battle between these two struggling sides. Both clubs have lost their previous two matches and continue to fall off the pace. Darmstadt will be happy to be playing at home, as they have earned all of their points at the Jonathan-Heimes-Stadion am Böllenfalltor.
Ingolstadt come into this match with a having gone 19 matches without winning away from home. In addition, this will be the first match for new manager Maik Walpurgis, who was appointed last Saturday.
Wolfsburg vs Schalke
A Saturday afternoon clash between these two sides promises to be an exciting encounter. Schalke come into the match unbeaten in nine matches in all competitions and will look to continue their resurgence towards the top half of the table. Wolfsburg will look to improve on only their second win of the season, which came against Freiburg before the international break. New manager Valerien Ismael will make his debut as the club’s official manager, as well.
FC Augsburg vs Hertha Berlin
Hertha Berlin will be keen on coming away with all three points as they look to stay on course for the top four. However, they have only taken one win from their last ten away matches, which will be a concern heading into kick-off.
Augsburg were dealt a blow this week when striker Raul Bobadilla left training with an injury and will most likely not be available for the match. They have only claimed victory in one home match this season.
Mainz vs SC Freiburg
It’s been a one-sided history between these two clubs as Mainz are unbeaten against Freiburg in nine Bundesliga meetings. Visiting Freiburg have never been able to beat their opponents on the road either, with losses coming in seven attempts.
Mainz have struggled in their past two matches, losing 6-1 to Anderlecht in the Europa League and 3-1 away at RB Leipzig before the international break. Freiburg have taken three points from their last two matches, as they defeated Werder Bremen before being shutout by Wolfsburg at home.
Borussia Mönchengladbach vs FC Köln
Another edition of the Rhine Derby will be contested on Saturday with both clubs vying to get back into the win column. Mönchengladbach are a long way off the pace in the race for the European places, but three points this weekend could potentially see them move into a more favourable position.
Köln will try to beat their rivals for only the second time in the past 12 editions of the derby. Striker Anthony Modeste, who has scored 11 goals this season, will be key to any success his side may have in this fixture.
Hoffenheim vs Hamburger SV
These two clubs are going in completely different directions at the moment, and Hoffenheim are in prime position to continue their unbeaten season, as they face the team who are bottom of the league. The team from Hamburg will have a tough test against one of the Bundesliga’s most impressive teams this season.
Werder Bremen vs Eintracht Frankfurt
Frankfurt are in fine form at the moment and have the chance to extend their unbeaten run to five matches on Sunday. Werder Bremen are still struggling to find results as they have slipped to 16th place in the table. On the bright side, they defeated their opponents in the last meeting between the two sides, which came on the final matchday of last season. Claudio Pizarro has scored an impressive six goals in nine appearances against Frankfurt and is expected to start.
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