With global lockdown still in place, things are far from what they used to be in European football. But at least the Bundesliga executives found the means and courage to renew the competition, so now fans can enjoy the top-notch action.
A brief analysis of the previous matchday
Borussia Dortmund 4 – 0 Schalke 04. The renewed season in Bundesliga began with the second most important derby in the country, the Revierderby. Schalke 04 traveled to Signal Iduna Park in full confidence as it hadn’t lost once in the last five away games within the framework of the derby. However, that run came to an end, courtesy of Haaland, Guerreiro (scored twice), and Hazard.
RB Leipzig 1 – 1 Freiburg. Apparently, the long break didn’t do a lot of good for the Red Bull players as they have totally botched the attempt to restart the season on a positive note and get back into the championship race. Freiburg’s Manuel Gulde scored in the 34th minute, and his team held strong until the 77th minute when Poulsen scored an equalizer. The visitors had even scored a late goal, but after checking with VAR, the referee had to rule it out.
Eintracht Frankfurt 1 – 3 Borussia Monchengladbach. The result of this game was thought to be unpredictable since both teams were in the erratic form before the break: Borussia had been losing many points against weaker opponents, while Eintracht lost three in a row, which then turned into four. The hosts looked too lazy and unprepared, which resulted in Plea, Thuram, and Bensebaini scoring almost effortlessly. Silva scored a consolation goal at the 87th minute.
Union Berlin 0 – 2 Bayern Munich. The leaders had to win this one in order to remain entrenched at the top because their schedule for the remainder of the season is quite tough. Union’s attacking prowess evaporated after the first ten minutes, and Bayern dictated the pace of the game until the final whistle. Lewandowski scored from the penalty spot, and Pavard finalized the deal.
The preview to the upcoming games
Wolfsburg vs. Borussia Dortmund. This is going to be an exciting and unpredictable game since both teams are lossless in the last five matches and have the corresponding tasks to solve. Wolfsburg needs to stay above Freiburg in the table, while Borussia can’t lose a single point if the team wants to stay in the championship race. Both squads don’t have any newly injured players, but Reus, Witsel, and Can are absent from the Dortmund lineup.
Borussia Monchengladbach vs. Bayer Leverkusen. The former leader still has theoretical chances to win the championship, but it is unacceptable to lose points with so little to go in the season. Bayer’s ambition is to end up in the euro tournament zone, and the team is gaining good momentum. The visitors will be playing without their center-forward Kevin Holland – Bayer’s Fabian Johnson is out with muscle problems.
Bayern Munich vs. Eintracht Frankfurt. Given their poor form (4 losses in a row), the Eagles should become easy prey for Bayern that is heading full speed towards the title. Last game, the FCB played impeccably both in defense and offense, and this form should stretch to the next game. Niklas Sule continues to struggle with fitness, but he could make a forced comeback.
Mainz vs. Red Bull Leipzig. The Bulls need to snap themselves out of the funk and quit losing points against lesser teams like Mainz. Three draws in a row severely hampered their position in the table, so getting the full three points in the next game is a must. However, Mainz would also be fighting tooth and nails because they are hanging by a thread above the relegation zone. Red Bull Leipzig has no outstanding injuries, while Mainz’s only concern is their goalkeeper Zentner.
