Bundesliga, Week 11: Hoffenheim, Leverkusen, And Hamburg Look To Close Gap On Top Two

This weekend’s slate of fixtures in the Bundesliga may look less important than last week’s, but there are crucial games around the league as teams try to get back into the title race, move up into mid-table, or simply break out of a slump in form. Schalke certainly fall into the latter category as they kick off the weekend at home to St. Pauli, and Stuttgart’s home clash with Bremen should also be an interesting contest of teams performing below their expected level. Nürnberg will be looking to keep up in the race for European football as they face Köln, and Hoffenheim take on Hamburg SV with both sides looking to close the gap at the top. The two runaway leaders, Mainz and Borussia Dortmund, are away to Freiburg and Hannover respectively, and both look likely to continue their perfect away records.