Düsseldorf (AP) – The 12th matchday of the Bundesliga will open with the match between FC Augsburg and FC Bayern Munich on Friday evening. The other games at a glance:
Borussia Mönchengladbach – SpVgg Greuther Fürth (Saturday, 3.30 p.m.)
Situation: The knocked-down bottom of the table is still waiting for the first win of the season after eleven games. The undefeated Gladbachers at home want to make it to the European Cup.
Statistics: From ten competitive games so far in the Bundesliga, 2nd league and in the DFB-Pokal, the people of Fürth have not won any. There were four defeats in Gladbach, with the Franks only scoring one goal.
Personal: For the injured Embolo Thuram beckons the first starting XI, in the Borussia defense Jantschke, Elvedi, Beyer and Doucouré are missing. The people of Fürth still have to do without some long-term injuries.
Special: Fürth’s goal scorer Hrgota meets old friends: The 28-year-old played a total of 69 Bundesliga games for Gladbach from 2012 to 2016, and in Frankfurt he worked with today’s Borussia coach Hütter.
Borussia Dortmund – VfB Stuttgart (Saturday, 3.30 p.m.)
Situation: After their recent bankruptcy in Leipzig (1: 2) before matchday 12, BVB is four points behind leaders Bayern Munich. Stuttgart has only won one of the last ten Bundesliga games and wants to stop the downward trend
Statistics: The pairing is one of the classics of the Bundesliga, Stuttgart with 40 wins in 102 games is easily ahead of BVB (38 wins).
Personal: Dortmund can plan again with Guerreiro after a torn muscle fiber. VfB have to do without winger Silas, defender Mavropanos is available after injury.
Special: The so far last Stuttgart guest appearance in Dortmund turned into a debacle for the home side. Almost a year ago, on December 12, 2020, the Swabians triumphed 5-1. In no home game in its Bundesliga history have BVB conceded more goals.
Bayer Leverkusen – VfL Bochum (Saturday, 3.30 p.m.)
Situation: The ambitious Leverkusen players need more home stability, all three defeats of the season were in the BayArena. Newcomers Bochum is well in the race with three wins from four games, but has lost five times away in six games.
Statistics: In the first meeting in almost twelve years, the numbers speak clearly for Bayer: 17 wins in 26 home games, the Revierelf celebrated their last win against Leverkusen on March 2, 2008.
Personal: VfL is missing eight injured players, but coach Reis is only changing in one position: Pantovic for Blum. Bayer will still have to do without Bakker, Baumgartlinger, Fosu-Mensah and Alario. Wirtz, on the other hand, is fit again.
Special: Former Bayer manager Kaenzig is returning to the BayArena as managing director of VfL Bochum.
TSG 1899 Hoffenheim – RB Leipzig (Saturday, 3.30 p.m.)
Situation: Leipzig has been unbeaten in seven games and is getting closer to the Champions League places. Hoffenheim have not won two games in a row this season.
Statistics: TSG have won the last three home games but lost the last three away games. The RB team has been without a win on a foreign pitch for eight games (club record).
Personal: At Hoffenheim, striker Kramaric (head injury during international match) is most likely out. Baumgartner and Rudy are also missing. Leipzig striker Poulsen has to take a break for weeks, but Orban and Klostermann have cured their injuries.
Special: Hoffenheim coach Hoeneß trained youth teams at RB Leipzig between 2014 and 2017.
Arminia Bielefeld – VfL Wolfsburg (Saturday, 3.30 p.m.)
Situation: Arminia finally celebrated their first win of the season before the international break in Stuttgart, but are still penultimate. Wolfsburg’s new coach Kohfeldt started with two wins and led VfL back to a Champions League place.
Statistics: Wolfsburg have all won the last six competitive games: five times in the league and in the 2015 cup semifinals. Arminia scored their only home win in nine Bundesliga duels in 2002 with a 1-0 goal from Ansgar Brinkmann.
Personal: In Bielefeld, Wimmer threatens to fail after a concussion and nasal bone fracture. If anything, he plays with a mask. Wolfsburg is still worried about the use of Bornauw.
Special: A 2-0 win in Bielefeld on March 10th was Kohfeldt’s last Bundesliga win with Bremen. This was followed by nine defeats, one draw and a leave of absence one match day before relegation.
1. FC Union Berlin – Hertha BSC (Saturday, 6.30 p.m.)
Situation: Union has so far taken four points more than Hertha. The iron occupy eighth place in the table, the rival from the west of the capital is 13. Hertha’s claim is reality at Union.
Statistics: For the fifth time, the Berlin rivals meet in the Bundesliga. Nobody has managed an away win so far. Union won once, Hertha twice, and once both drew.
Personal: Behrens is missing from Union, he is in corona quarantine, and Jaeckel recently became ailing. But Kruse, who was missing in the three games without a win, is fit again. At Hertha, the use of Jovetic is still open after a positive corona test in the past few weeks.
Special: Three of the four capital city derbies in the Bundesliga so far took place in front of empty ranks because of the corona pandemic. Now, for the first time since March 2020, the stadium at An der Alten Försterei can even be filled to the last seat after a Senate decision.
SC Freiburg – Eintracht Frankfurt (Sunday, 3.30 p.m.)
Situation: After the first defeat of the season at FC Bayern, Freiburg can consolidate its place in the Champions League with a win. Frankfurt wants to confirm its slight upward trend after two recent competitive wins.
Statistics: The sports club won only one of the last eight games against Eintracht: in November 2019 at home with 1-0.
Personal: Freiburg fears about the use of Nico Schlotterbeck and Schade, Petersen is still missing. There is hope that Sallai will return. The guests continue to compete without Paciencia, Rode may come back as a joker.
Special: In the last three competitive games in the Bundesliga and Europa League, Frankfurt secured a total of five points with goals in stoppage time.
FSV Mainz 05 – 1. FC Köln (Sunday, 5.30 p.m.)
Situation: Both teams have played a good role this season so far. With a win, the Mainz team can even maintain contact with the international ranks.
Statistics: Mainz lost only one of the last six duels with the Rhinelanders. Cologne are still waiting for their first away win this season.
Personal: The formation with the double storm Burkardt and Onisiwo is well established near Mainz. Cologne’s Skhiri will be back in the squad after a long injury break, but are not a candidate for the starting XI.
Special: Just in time for November 11th, which coincided with the international break, two clubs with a major focus on Carnival will meet.
