If it seems like the first half of the season has flown by, it certainly has. The Christmas break is just around the corner, meaning that the current Bundesliga campaign will be on hiatus for over a month. But before the 2016/2017 season goes on holiday, there will be an interesting top of the table clash...between reigning champs Bayern Munich and surprise title contenders RB Leipzig.
Facts and Stats ahead of Bundesliga Matchday 16
Here are five things you may or may not know ahead of the upcoming round of fixtures starting today:
Bundesliga Matchday 16 - U.S. viewing schedule
Below is the full U.S. schedule for round 16 of Bundesliga action starting this Tuesday
Dec. 20: Borussia Dortmund vs Augsburg on Fox Sports 1 USA, Fox Soccer 2GO USA, Fox Sports GO, Fox Deportes at 11:00 AM PST/2:00 PM EST
Dec. 20: Borussia M'gladbach vs Wolfsburg on Fox Soccer 2GO USA at 11:00 AM PST/2:00 PM EST
Dec. 20: Eintracht Frankfurt vs Mainz 05 on Fox Soccer 2GO USA, Fox Sports GO, Fox Soccer Plus at 11:00 AM PST/2:00 PM EST
Dec. 20: Hamburger SV vs Schalke 04 on Fox Soccer 2GO USA, GOLTV USA, Fox Sports 2 USA, Fox Sports GO, GolTV Espanol at 11:00 AM PST/2:00 PM EST
Dec. 21: Bayern München vs RB Leipzig on GOLTV USA, Fox Soccer 2GO USA, Fox Sports GO, Fox Sports 1 USA, GolTV Espanol at 11:00 AM PST/2:00 PM EST
Dec. 21: Hertha BSC vs Darmstadt 98 on Fox Soccer Plus, Fox Soccer 2GO USA at 11:00 AM PST/2:00 PM EST
Dec. 21: Hoffenheim vs Werder Bremen on Fox Soccer 2GO USA at 11:00 AM PST/2:00 PM EST
Dec. 21: Ingolstadt vs Freiburg on Fox Soccer 2GO USA at 11:00 AM PST/2:00 PM EST
Dec. 21: Köln vs Bayer Leverkusen on Fox Soccer 2GO USA, Fox Sports 2 USA, Fox Sports G, Fox Deportes at 11:00 AM PST/2:00 PM EST
*For more information, please navigate to each match's specific page
Bundesliga - Matchday 16 overview
Normally, a top of the table clash in Germany would feature Bayern Munich taking on Borussia Dortmund. However, this season has been full of its fair share of surprises. The Allianz Arena will be playing table to ta top of the table clash. But rather, die Roten will face none other than RB Leipzig. Die Bullen may have been founded only in 2009 - yes, just seven years ago - but they certainly are holding their own against clubs who are vastly more established than them.
Ralph Hasenhuttl's side are joint-tied with Bayern on 36 points, and have lost just one game this season. That was a shock 1-0 reversal to relegation candidates Ingolstadt, and marked the first time they not just lost, but failed to score. Earlier, they set a record for the longest amount of time a debutant stayed unbeaten (13 rounds) and now, facing die Roten for the first time ever, will surely be eager to try to re-claim top spot heading into the Christmas break.
Meanwhile, Hoffenheim still are the Bundesliga's only unbeaten side as they managed to stand strong and hold out for a 2-2 draw with Borussia Dortmund. That result sees them rise into a very impressive third, but will all those draws - and dropped points - come back to haunt them? Dortmund, of course, will be looking to close the gap on the top three, but they will have to make do without the services of Marco Reus after he received his first ever red card in over 200 games. Thomas Tuchel's men take on Augsburg, a team who had fared well in past seasons but are struggling to make the grade this time around.
Bundesliga - Matchday 16 standings
Here's how things stand so far after 15 rounds in the 2016/2017 Bundesliga season. How will it look after matchday 16 concludes?
| Pos. | Mannschaft | AS | S | U | V | TE | GT | TD | P | Letzte 5 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bayer Leverkusen | 30 | 25 | 5 | 0 | 75 | 20 | +55 | 80 | USSSS | |
| 2 | Bayern München | 30 | 21 | 3 | 6 | 87 | 37 | +50 | 66 | SSVVS | |
| 3 | Stuttgart | 30 | 20 | 3 | 7 | 68 | 36 | +32 | 63 | VSSUS | |
| 4 | RB Leipzig | 30 | 18 | 5 | 7 | 69 | 34 | +35 | 59 | SSSUS | |
| 5 | Borussia Dortmund | 30 | 16 | 9 | 5 | 58 | 35 | +23 | 57 | USVSS | |
| 6 | Eintracht Frankfurt | 30 | 11 | 12 | 7 | 46 | 40 | +6 | 45 | SVUUV | |
| 7 | Freiburg | 30 | 11 | 7 | 12 | 42 | 53 | -11 | 40 | USVSV | |
| 8 | Augsburg | 30 | 10 | 9 | 11 | 48 | 49 | -1 | 39 | VSVUS | |
| 9 | Hoffenheim | 31 | 11 | 6 | 14 | 55 | 63 | -8 | 39 | VSVSV | |
| 10 | Heidenheim | 30 | 8 | 10 | 12 | 43 | 52 | -9 | 34 | VUSUU | |
| 11 | Werder Bremen | 30 | 9 | 7 | 14 | 38 | 50 | -12 | 34 | SVUVV | |
| 12 | Borussia M'gladbach | 30 | 7 | 10 | 13 | 53 | 60 | -7 | 31 | VVSVU | |
| 13 | Wolfsburg | 30 | 8 | 7 | 15 | 35 | 50 | -15 | 31 | SVVSV | |
| 14 | Bochum | 31 | 6 | 12 | 13 | 37 | 62 | -25 | 30 | SVUVU | |
| 15 | Union Berlin | 30 | 8 | 5 | 17 | 26 | 50 | -24 | 29 | VVVUS | |
| 16 | Mainz 05 | 30 | 5 | 12 | 13 | 31 | 48 | -17 | 27 | USSUS | |
| 17 | Köln | 30 | 4 | 10 | 16 | 23 | 53 | -30 | 22 | VVSUV | |
| 18 | Darmstadt 98 | 30 | 3 | 8 | 19 | 30 | 72 | -42 | 17 | SVVUV |
