By Rich
Opposing teams of one of the Bundesliga’s biggest rivalries meet again on Saturday when FC Bayern München hosts Borussia Dortmund in the Allianz Arena on Saturday. Much is at stake in this match on Saturday. If FC Schalke 04 fail to either tie or win their home match against Freiburg earlier in the day and if Bayern defeat Dortmund, Bayern will become the league’s champions for the first time at home since the year 2000. In addition, Bayern striker Robert Lewandowski has scored 23 goals so far this season and is likely to win the Torjägerkanone for the 3rd time. Lewandowski has scored 7 goals against Dortmund since joining Bayern from Dortmund in 2014. Dortmund coach Peter Stöger, however, is determined not to have his unbeaten streak broken since taking the helm at Dortmund following his departure from league bottom-dweller 1. FC Köln. His efforts have been strengthened by Belgian striker Michy Batshuayi, who with 6 Bundesliga goals since his arrival from Chelsea is Dortmund’s top scorer of 2018. Stöger may be without Marco Reus, who has been contending with adductor problems since his team’s UEFA Europa League loss to Red Bull Salzburg, and did not play in the last league match against Hannover 96. Also likely absent will be Ömer Toprak, Shinji Kagawa, and Andriy Yarmolenko. Bayern, for its part, may regain the services of Arjen Robben, who trained with the club this week. Bayern’s standout goaltender, Manuel Neuer, also returned to training for the first time since fracturing his left foot back in September. Elsewhere in the 1. Bundesliga this weekend, RB Leipzig will travel to Hannover on Saturday. A win could push Leipzig back up into 4th place and a position in next week’s UEFA Europa League quarterfinal, and an important contest in the club’s Matchday 29 encounter with Bayer Leverkusen. Hannover has struggled in recent weeks and are the only team in the Bundesliga to have lost their last 4 matches, while Leipzig’s Timo Werner has scored in each of his last 3 Bundesliga matches against Hannover, and RB Leipzig are unbeaten in their last 5 contests. Hamburg, the only original 1. Bundesliga club to have never been relegated, will travel to Stuttgart on Saturday, and their hopes of avoiding their first-ever relegation are dimming. Stuttgart are unbeaten in their last 7 Bundesliga matches, while Hamburg are without a win in their last 14 Bundesliga encounters. While Hamburg have now slipped to last place, Stuttgart have climbed to 8th place, their best position so far this season. Looking ahead to Sunday, Mainz face a critical match against Gladbach: Mainz are sitting precariously in top relegation spot, and are behind Wolfsburg only on goal differential.
Opposing teams of one of the Bundesliga’s biggest rivalries meet again on Saturday when FC Bayern München hosts Borussia Dortmund in the Allianz Arena on Saturday. Much is at stake in this match on Saturday. If FC Schalke 04 fail to either tie or win their home match against Freiburg earlier in the day and if Bayern defeat Dortmund, Bayern will become the league’s champions for the first time at home since the year 2000. In addition, Bayern striker Robert Lewandowski has scored 23 goals so far this season and is likely to win the Torjägerkanone for the 3rd time. Lewandowski has scored 7 goals against Dortmund since joining Bayern from Dortmund in 2014. Dortmund coach Peter Stöger, however, is determined not to have his unbeaten streak broken since taking the helm at Dortmund following his departure from league bottom-dweller 1. FC Köln. His efforts have been strengthened by Belgian striker Michy Batshuayi, who with 6 Bundesliga goals since his arrival from Chelsea is Dortmund’s top scorer of 2018. Stöger may be without Marco Reus, who has been contending with adductor problems since his team’s UEFA Europa League loss to Red Bull Salzburg, and did not play in the last league match against Hannover 96. Also likely absent will be Ömer Toprak, Shinji Kagawa, and Andriy Yarmolenko. Bayern, for its part, may regain the services of Arjen Robben, who trained with the club this week. Bayern’s standout goaltender, Manuel Neuer, also returned to training for the first time since fracturing his left foot back in September. Elsewhere in the 1. Bundesliga this weekend, RB Leipzig will travel to Hannover on Saturday. A win could push Leipzig back up into 4th place and a position in next week’s UEFA Europa League quarterfinal, and an important contest in the club’s Matchday 29 encounter with Bayer Leverkusen. Hannover has struggled in recent weeks and are the only team in the Bundesliga to have lost their last 4 matches, while Leipzig’s Timo Werner has scored in each of his last 3 Bundesliga matches against Hannover, and RB Leipzig are unbeaten in their last 5 contests. Hamburg, the only original 1. Bundesliga club to have never been relegated, will travel to Stuttgart on Saturday, and their hopes of avoiding their first-ever relegation are dimming. Stuttgart are unbeaten in their last 7 Bundesliga matches, while Hamburg are without a win in their last 14 Bundesliga encounters. While Hamburg have now slipped to last place, Stuttgart have climbed to 8th place, their best position so far this season. Looking ahead to Sunday, Mainz face a critical match against Gladbach: Mainz are sitting precariously in top relegation spot, and are behind Wolfsburg only on goal differential.
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