Another special jersey could soon be due in Köpenick. But before that, Union is measuring itself against the team of the hour. And Schalke have a final, again. Everything you need to know about the 30th match day of the Bundesliga.
1. FC Union Berlin – Bayer Leverkusen (Saturday, 3.30 p.m.)
During the week, the PR department at Union Berlin presented a special shirt for the upcoming game day, in a hip eighties design. It is quite possible that the outfitter will soon have to design an extra jersey for the festive evenings in the Champions League. The move into the premier class has become a bit more likely after the usual humorless 1-0 win in Mönchengladbach. Union now has the best defense in the league with 31 goals conceded, and the Berliners have kept eleven clean sheets.
Union experienced one of the rare blackouts of the season in the 0:5 first leg loss at Bayer Leverkusen. The Leverkusen team, on Saturday (from 3.20 p.m. in the audio stream on sportschau.de) visiting the Alte Försterei, are the team of the hour: After beating Leipzig 2-0, the sixth win in the last eight league games, Leverkusen is up moved up to four points from fifth place and also has their sights set on the Champions League – either via fourth place in the league or as winners of the Europa League.
The Werkself have been unbeaten in 13 games across all competitions. Union, on the other hand, has not lost in the Bundesliga for 20 games at home – one of the two series may break.
1. FC Cologne – SC Freiburg (Saturday, 3.30 p.m.)
After the win in Hoffenheim and a fruitful April, 1. FC Köln can look forward to the upcoming home game on Saturday (from 3.20 p.m. in the audio stream on sportschau.de) against SC Freiburg with relative ease. Depending on the number of points scored by the teams on the relegation zone, FC could even celebrate relegation early if they win. If it weren’t for the continuing smoldering impasse about the transfer ban imposed by CAS for the coming summer. The hope that the CAS would at least suspend the proceedings after the Cologne-based company objected was dealt with during the week with a letter from Lausanne.
The opponents from Freiburg also have some question marks when planning for the coming season, but the main question is which international competition SC will play in: again in the Europa League? Or maybe in the premier class? Where Freiburg would currently be in fourth place. Coach Christian Streich routinely ironed out every hint of Champions League euphoria: “Nothing is euphoric. Only Cologne is decisive.”
RB Leipzig – TSG 1899 Hoffenheim (Saturday, 3.30 p.m.)
RB Leipzig is in the semi-finals of the cup and still has the chance of qualifying for the Champions League again in the league. In principle, everything is still possible for Leipzig, but the 0-2 defeat at Bayer Leverkusen last week showed that they could still gamble away everything in the coming weeks. In the cup, the defending champion will take on SC Freiburg next Tuesday, who is dying for revenge for last year’s unfortunate defeat in the final. Leipzig also has to compete in Freiburg in the league, as well as at FC Bayern. “We can’t afford too much anymore“said goalkeeper Janis Blaswich before the game on Saturday (from 3:20 p.m. in the audio stream at sportschau.de) against 1899 Hoffenheim.
Hoffenheim, still in the spotlight before the international break in March, thought they were almost on the safe side after the subsequent race to catch up. But after the home defeat against Cologne, TSG is still in the middle of the relegation battle – and is again under pressure in Leipzig. There was nothing to gain for Hoffenheim in the last six guest appearances.
VfB Stuttgart – Borussia Moenchengladbach (Saturday, 3.30 p.m.)
More points, less drama: That is what Fabian Wohlgemuth, VfB sporting director, wants. In the last two games, the Stuttgart team caught up a deficit in order to finally be able to book a point on their account. The spectacular 3:3 against Borussia Dortmund after being down 0:2 and outnumbered was followed by a 1:1 at FC Augsburg.
Keyword drama: VfB scored eight goals in four competitive games under new coach Sebastian Hoeneß, none of which were lost. Seven of them came in the second half, five even after the 78th minute.
The Swabians are going into the game against Borussia Mönchengladbach as favorites (Saturday, from 3.20 p.m. in the audio stream at sportschau.de). Guests will be glad when the temperate season is over. Their lead over the relegation rank occupied by VfB is just as big as the gap to sixth place in the table, which would lead to the European Cup.
“We must embrace the intensity“said coach Daniel Farke, who was recently disappointed again with the 0-1 win against 1. FC Union. For Borussia, it’s about ending the season “as strong as possible and with as many points as possible”.
Eintracht Frankfurt – FC Augsburg (Saturday, 3.30 p.m.)
“Oliver Glasner is not a better person because he won the Europa League. And he’s not a worse person for not winning eight league games in a row.“That’s what Oliver Glasner, coach of Eintracht Frankfurt said before the duel with FC Augsburg (Saturday, from 3.20 p.m. in the audio stream at sportschau.de). Due to the sobering 0: 4 at Borussia Dortmund, the gap to seventh place in the table, which is probably will be enough to qualify for the Europa Conference League, increased to three points.
FC Augsburg hasn’t won any of their last six Bundesliga games, but with a 1-1 win over VfB Stuttgart, they still have a five-point lead over the relegation zone. “We want to put the lid on it as quickly as possible and to do that we need a top performance every week“said coach Enrico Maassen. Mergim Berisha, FCA’s best scorer with nine goals, will still be missing in Frankfurt.
FC Schalke 04 – SV Werder Bremen (Saturday, 6.30 p.m.)
In view of the extremely difficult remaining program with away games in Mainz, at Bayern and in Leipzig, a Schalke win against Werder Bremen (Saturday, from 6.20 p.m. in the audio stream at sportschau.de) almost seems a must. “We have heard several times that we always have finals. This is another game that is hugely important“said coach Thomas Reis, who did not use the templates of the competition last match day. The Gelsenkirchen team had no chance at 0: 4 at SC Freiburg.
Werder Bremen, who won 4-2 at Hertha BSC, provided one of the templates. Marvin Ducksch scored three goals, but he, like his strike partner Niclas Füllkrug, is in danger of failing. “Schalke need every point and can unleash great power in their home stadiumBremen’s coach Ole Werner warned. In Berlin, the Werder fans had done it themselves. More than 20,000 Bremen supporters were in the Olympic Stadium.
FC Bayern Munich – Hertha BSC (Sunday, 3.30 p.m.)
What else is there to say about FC Bayern? The management floor with Oliver Kahn and Hasan Salihamidzic under great pressure, the still extremely powerful Uli Hoeneß on the training ground, coach Thomas Tuchel almost disillusioned, the team slipped to second place after the 1: 3 at 1. FSV Mainz 05 behind Borussia Dortmund : There is no alternative to a win against Hertha BSC (Sunday, from 3.20 p.m. in the audio stream at sportschau.de).
The Berliners also urgently need points, but Pal Dardai is not expecting them in the game with the record champions. It could even”a giant smack” the Hungarian suspected, who suffered a 4-2 defeat against Werder Bremen for his third debut as head coach of Hertha.
Many spectators who come to the arena in Fröttmaning on Sunday will never have seen Hertha win against Bayern. The last succeeded on October 29, 1977.
VfL Wolfsburg – 1. FSV Mainz 05 (Sunday, 5.30 p.m.)
A win against FC Bayern from behind was the final confirmation that 1. FSV Mainz 05 were serious contenders for a place in Europe.
Coach Bo Svensson’s side have been unbeaten for ten games. Also thanks to clever winter transfers such as goalscorers Ludovic Ajorquewho has already scored six goals, a European competition is within reach.
The next task leads Mainz to VfL Wolfsburg (Sunday, from 5.20 p.m. in the audio stream at sportschau.de), which currently has two points less. The Lower Saxony are also on a good run. VfL Wolfsburg have only lost one of their last eight games and after the 5-1 win in Bochum they already have more points (43) than in the entire previous season (42).