Düsseldorf (dpa) – The second round of the Bundesliga will open on Friday with the game Bayern Munich against Borussia Mönchengeladbach.
The following games are on the program on Saturday and Sunday:
RB Leipzig – FSV Mainz 05 (Saturday, 3.30 p.m.)
Situation: The first round tenth from Leipzig is under enormous pressure and has to qualify for the Champions League for economic reasons. Mainz won only two of the last seven games, but ranked directly above RB and expectations.
Statistics: Home games against Mainz are usually a festival for Leipzig. RB won the last three duels alone with a goal difference of 15: 2. Mainz has never won in Leipzig.
Personnel: Forsberg and Laimer are missing Leipzig injured. Mukiele, Henrichs and Olmo tested positive for the corona virus Tuesday. Because of a Covid-19 infection, Mainz misses captain Niakhaté; St. Juste, Szalai and Kohr are still not in the squad.
Special: The Mainz trainer Svensson is said to have been among the candidates for a successor to the Leipzig ex-trainer Marsch. The Dane, who worked in the RB Kosmos in Salzburg and Liefering, is coming to Leipzig for the first time as a coach.
Bayer Leverkusen – Union Berlin (Saturday, 3:30 p.m.)
Situation: It’s about the Champions League places. Bayer in fourth can further improve its position, Union move up to the coveted ranks in seventh.
Statistics: Bayer is not exactly Union’s favorite opponent. In eight competitive games so far, the Köpenickers only managed one victory. There were even three significant defeats in the DFB Cup.
Personnel: The Leverkusen team are missing important defensive players: Tapsoba and Kossounou (both Africa Cup) as well as the injured Baumgartlinger, Aranguiz and Amiri (Corona). The guests have to do without the two attackers Awoniyi (Africa Cup) and Becker (Corona).
Special: First game for ex-Unioner Andrich against his former club. In the first leg he was still on the bench with the Berliners, two days later he moved to Bayer.
SC Freiburg – Arminia Bielefeld (Saturday, 3.30 p.m.)
Situation: Freiburg finished the first half of the table third in the table and thus better than ever before in the club’s history. The Arminia wintered on the penultimate place in the table, but won their final two games in 2021 against Bochum and Leipzig.
Statistics: Arminia has won five of the nine Bundesliga duels between the two clubs to date. In front of their home crowd, the Freiburg team recently celebrated a victorious start in the second half of the season seven times in a row.
Personnel: Three SC professionals are missing due to positive corona tests. The club did not name any names. Full-back Schmid could be back in the squad for the first time after his infection in August. Bielefeld’s striker Klos is suspended, newcomer Castro could be used directly.
Special: cult trainer Streich celebrated his tenth anniversary as Freiburg head coach during the winter break. He achieved 100 Bundesliga victories during this time. Against Bielefeld, he is currently in the upper house with two wins, two draws and one defeat.
TSG Hoffenheim – FC Augsburg (Saturday, 3.30 p.m.)
Situation: The team of coach Hoeneß, which has not been defeated for six games, is on course for international business as fifth in the table, the FCA wants to pull away from the rear as 15th.
Statistics: TSG won against any other current Bundesliga club than against FCA (like twelve against Hertha BSC).
Personnel: In addition to Bicakcic, the Hoffenheim team are missing Skov, John, Adamyan and Samassékou. Captain Hübner could make his comeback after a forced break of over a year. Record purchase Pepi is an option in the Augsburg storm.
Special: Hoffenheim’s defensive routinier Vogt played in Augsburg from 2012 to 2014 and almost returned to FCA last summer. The 30-year-old’s contract expires at the end of the season, he is still being talked about at his ex-club.
SpVgg Greuther Fürth – VfB Stuttgart (Saturday, 3.30 p.m.)
Situation: The Fürth are bottom of the table with only five points. VfB on relegation place 16 has twelve more points.
Statistics: The clubs in the Bundesliga have met three times so far, each time the hosts have won.
Personnel: The Fürth defense chief Viergever is back, the new striker Pululu an option from the bank. The Swabians can finally use star striker Kalajdzic (shoulder injury) again.
Special: After the 5: 1 at the start of the first half of the season, Stuttgart were the first league leaders of the young season.
Eintracht Frankfurt – Borussia Dortmund (Saturday, 6.30 p.m.)
Situation: Seven points separate the table sixth from Frankfurt from the league runner-up BVB. Eintracht won six of the last seven games and made three wins in a row at the end of the first half. Borussia was successful once in the last four games in 2021.
Statistics: Eintracht has been unbeaten in seven home games against Dortmund, longer than against any other current Bundesliga club. Most recently there were four draws in a row.
Personnel: Because of positive corona tests, the Hessen da Costa and Lindström are missing as well as the injured Lenz and Hauge. BVB has to do without Zagadou and Wolf (Corona). In contrast, the Westphalians can again rely on Guerreiro, Dahoud and Moukoko.
Special: Frankfurt’s coach Glasner lost every Bundesliga game against Borussia Dortmund (five defeats, 2:14 goals).
Hertha BSC – 1. FC Köln (Sunday, 3.30 p.m.)
Situation: Cologne and Hertha have each achieved six first round victories. But the emotional worlds are separated by more than four points in the table. The FC is on course under coach Baumgart, the Berliners are difficult to get rid of uncertainty and crisis mood.
Statistics: Hertha have only scored one goal against Cologne in the last four games. That was the insignificant goal at 1: 3 in the first leg. The last home win was almost four years ago.
Personnel: Corona dictated the short Hertha preparation. There have been seven cases since Christmas. Coach Korkut has to improvise, especially since top scorer Jovetic (Wade) is missing. In Cologne, defender Merè and midfielder Skhiri (Africa Cup) are missing after illness.
Special: Spectators are only allowed in the Olympic Stadium in the Bundesliga this weekend. The decision of the Berlin Senate allows a little more than 2000 fans in the huge concrete bowl despite the corona crisis after the withdrawal of delegations and security personnel.
VfL Bochum – VfL Wolfsburg (Sunday, 5.30 p.m.)
Situation: Both teams have 20 points before the start of the second half of the season. Newcomers Bochum can look back on a successful first half series, Wolfsburg is far below expectations.
Statistics: Bochum won six of the ten home games in the Bundesliga against Wolfsburg so far. The Lower Saxony won a victory in Bochum in 2006.
Personnel: Bochum has to do without Masovic (yellow card suspension) and Stafylidis (positive corona test). Wolfsburg is missing, among other things, Lukebakio and Vranckx after positive corona tests.
Special: Thomas Reis has been part of the Bochum coaching staff since 2011 (initially as coach of the women’s team and the second team). With one interruption: from 2016 to 2019 he was responsible for the Wolfsburg U19s before he finally took over the post of head coach in Bochum.
