By Rich M
With just a few weeks left in the current Bundesliga season, Bayer 04 Leverkusen will have the opportunity to extend their lead at the top of the table when they host Hoffenheim on Saturday. It’s the first time in more than a month since Leverkusen plays ahead of 2nd-place Bayern, and the table leaders could expand their advantage to 13 points. Xabi Alonso’s squad have won their last 7 league fixtures, and have dropped points just once in 2024. In addition to a league title that could be captured in as few as 3 contests, Leverkusen are also dreaming of a DFB Pokal victory and the UEFA Europa League. Alonso also confirmed on Friday that he will be staying with the club next season, and the club’s 22 league wins this campaign is a new club record for an entire league season. The big match this weekend, though is the Klassiker later on Saturday, featuring hosts FC Bayern München and visitors Borussia Dortmund. Saturday’s match is the 110th between the 2 sides, and Bayern have been in fine form recently, including 3 wins in as many games in all competitions and 16 goals. 6 of those goals have come from Harry Kane, who also picked up a hat trick in the reverse fixture earlier this season. Although Kane has been out recently with an ankle injury, he has returned to fitness. Missing from Saturday’s game, though, will be captain Manuel Neuer, who has picked up a muscle fiber tear. Bayern are unbeaten in their last 10 Klassikers and have also won 9 straight games at home against Dortmund. The visitors, however, are also enjoying a decent run of 4 wins on the bounce in all competitions for the first time in a year. Dortmund’s firepower is currently driven by joint-top scorers Niclas Füllkrug and Donyell Malen, and they are complemented by Julian Brandt, who is the division’s third-highest assist provider. Saturday’s game will be Thomas Tuchel’s 50th in charge of Bayern, while Jadon Sancho and Marco Reus are the only surviving players from the last time Dortmund defeated Bayern in the league, in November 2018. Looking ahead to Sunday, Stuttgart’s MHP Arena will become the first stadium to host 1,000 Bundesliga matches when Heidenheim visit. The stadium has operated since the 1930s and has been a venue for top-flight contests since the 1. Bundesliga was founded in 1963. Although VfB Stuttgart themselves have not yet contested 1,000 matches in the top flight, the MHP Arena has also been used by the Stuttgarter Kickers, who were in the top flight in the 1988/89 and 1991/92 seasons. Matchday 27 will conclude later on Sunday when VfL Bochum 1848, who are 6 points clear of relegation, host last-place SV Darmstadt 98. The 2 sides lead the league in the number of goals conceded: 54 for Bochum and 65 for Darmstadt.
With just a few weeks left in the current Bundesliga season, Bayer 04 Leverkusen will have the opportunity to extend their lead at the top of the table when they host Hoffenheim on Saturday. It’s the first time in more than a month since Leverkusen plays ahead of 2nd-place Bayern, and the table leaders could expand their advantage to 13 points. Xabi Alonso’s squad have won their last 7 league fixtures, and have dropped points just once in 2024. In addition to a league title that could be captured in as few as 3 contests, Leverkusen are also dreaming of a DFB Pokal victory and the UEFA Europa League. Alonso also confirmed on Friday that he will be staying with the club next season, and the club’s 22 league wins this campaign is a new club record for an entire league season. The big match this weekend, though is the Klassiker later on Saturday, featuring hosts FC Bayern München and visitors Borussia Dortmund. Saturday’s match is the 110th between the 2 sides, and Bayern have been in fine form recently, including 3 wins in as many games in all competitions and 16 goals. 6 of those goals have come from Harry Kane, who also picked up a hat trick in the reverse fixture earlier this season. Although Kane has been out recently with an ankle injury, he has returned to fitness. Missing from Saturday’s game, though, will be captain Manuel Neuer, who has picked up a muscle fiber tear. Bayern are unbeaten in their last 10 Klassikers and have also won 9 straight games at home against Dortmund. The visitors, however, are also enjoying a decent run of 4 wins on the bounce in all competitions for the first time in a year. Dortmund’s firepower is currently driven by joint-top scorers Niclas Füllkrug and Donyell Malen, and they are complemented by Julian Brandt, who is the division’s third-highest assist provider. Saturday’s game will be Thomas Tuchel’s 50th in charge of Bayern, while Jadon Sancho and Marco Reus are the only surviving players from the last time Dortmund defeated Bayern in the league, in November 2018. Looking ahead to Sunday, Stuttgart’s MHP Arena will become the first stadium to host 1,000 Bundesliga matches when Heidenheim visit. The stadium has operated since the 1930s and has been a venue for top-flight contests since the 1. Bundesliga was founded in 1963. Although VfB Stuttgart themselves have not yet contested 1,000 matches in the top flight, the MHP Arena has also been used by the Stuttgarter Kickers, who were in the top flight in the 1988/89 and 1991/92 seasons. Matchday 27 will conclude later on Sunday when VfL Bochum 1848, who are 6 points clear of relegation, host last-place SV Darmstadt 98. The 2 sides lead the league in the number of goals conceded: 54 for Bochum and 65 for Darmstadt.
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