The Big Ones
Borussia Dortmund has a great record against most rivals. In recent seasons, they have been able to bat away every domestic opponent rather easily. The only team to not have suffered a loss to Dortmund last season was VfB Stuttgart. Incidentally, during this huge week for German football, BVB travels to Stuttgart.
A 4-4 draw between these two teams was one of the highlights of the 2011-12 season. Another such draw or even another stalemate like this season’s meeting, could bring down the curtains on the title defence of the Ruhr side.
In the event that Dortmund fails to win, Bayern wills be handed the title only if they win this weekend. They take on old rivals Hamburger SV. Bayern thrashed HSV 5-0 in this fixture last season. In the reverse fixture this season, Bayern put in arguably one of the best second half displays of this domestic season and won 0-3. HSV went down to Augsburg in their previous Bundesliga match while Bayern luckily beat Leverkusen 1-2.
In another important meeting this weekend, Borussia Mönchengladbach takes on SC Freiburg. The ninth placed side, Freiburg, is just two points behind Gladbach and three behind the all important fourth place. However, the club from the Black Forest might be proving the suspicions of plenty of viewers to be true. Many suspected that Freiburg was an average side punching above its weight. They have conceded ten goals in the previous two matches. Gladbach is coming into this one on the back of a 1-0 win over Hannover 96.
Top Half vs. Bottom Half Battles
The most interesting amongst the top half vs. bottom half battles is perhaps the one between Fortuna Düsseldorf and Bayer Leverkusen. Leverkusen’s loss to Bayern saw them fall four points behind second placed Dortmund. Leverkusen can count themselves to be slightly unlucky to have lost that match.
The game was almost a mirror image of the encounter between the two in the first half of the season which Leverkusen won by the same score-line, 1-2. Düsseldorf has slipped in recent weeks. A draw against Wolfsburg has left them in fifteenth, just four points above the relegation playoff berth.
Mainz vs. Bremen is set to be another interesting battle. In previous years, the Champions League berth challengers would be Bremen and the relegation threatened side would be Mainz. Roles have sincerely been reversed in the past couple of seasons.
Mainz is just a point off fourth spot while Bremen is still not completely out of sight of the relegation zone. Mainz is not in good form though. They drew 0-0 against Hoffenheim in their previous league game. However, Bremen’s 2-2 home draw against Fürth was perhaps a poorer result than Mainz’s one.
Fourth placed Frankfurt takes on bottom placed Greuther Fürth. Frankfurt’s recent struggles have been well documented. They finally managed to score a goal against Stuttgart but lost 1-2 anyway. There was a silver lining to that result though.
Given Schalke’s abysmal form, Frankfurt leaped over them due to a better goal difference and rose to fourth. Fürth will gain some confidence following the 2-2 draw against Bremen. However, to make up a nine point gap to the relegation play off berth, they will have to play miraculous last minute football such as the Gladbach of 2010-11.
Schalke was hammered by Nürnberg in their previous meeting. Jens Keller might not be able to extend his stay past this season if his side does finish fourth. The Gelsenkirchen side takes on Hoffenheim this week. Schalke might not win this one considering just how poor they have looked at times.
Bottom Half Battles
Hannover’s magic is seemingly lost. They sit in tenth place, well within sight of a European berth though. They take on an Augsburg side which is producing good results. Currently sitting in the relegation playoff berth, this team still has a chance to ensure survival. Five points might not be too big a bridge to cross considering Augsburg’s recent form. Hannover is the worst away side in the league; however Augsburg is one of the worst home teams of the league too. Augsburg has a chance to win this clash nonetheless.
Wolfsburg, after another poor home result, takes on FC Nürnberg. Nürnberg will be on a high coming into this one considering they thrashed Schalke, 3-0. Nürnberg lies eleventh in the table, three points ahead of thirteenth placed Wolfsburg. Considering Wolfsburg is at home, Nürnberg could take this.
Will Bayern be the first German side to be crowned champions in March? Tune in this weekend to find out!
