The international break is over and the Bundesliga is back with Europe’s most wide-open race for Champions League places. Bayern Muncih have the league all but locked up, as per usual, but the battle for second-through-fourth spots is going to rage on deep into the season.
Bundesliga schedule, scores and results from Week 12
Hoffenheim could really use a result. At Bayern, that might be tough.
Thomas Niedermueller/Getty Images
Preseason favorites Schalke, Borussia Dortmund and Bayer Leverkusen all sit outside the top four. The latter two sides should both win on Saturday, but Schalke face a tough test against Wolfsburg, who sit second off the back of a six-game winning streak. That entire run of games has been against fairly poor sides, though, and Schalke should be a nice test for them.
Another one of Germany’s surprise fringe Champions League contenders is in action early on Saturday in the TV game. Can Hoffenheim stun a hobbled Bayern side?
Bayern Munich vs. Hoffenheim
Saturday, 9:30 a.m ET. TV: GolTV (U.S. and Canada)
Hoffenheim's Champions League challenge is still on, but they've fallen behind after two straight losses, including a wild 4-3 against Köln. It would be very surprising to see them take points off Bayern Munich at home, but the champions' long injury list gives Hoffenheim a bit of hope. Philipp Lahm recently joined David Alaba, Thiago and Javi Martinez on the list of players who are out until at least the end of the winter break.
FC Köln vs. Hertha Berlin
Saturday, 12:30 p.m. ET. TV: GolTV (U.S. and Canada), BT Sport 1 (U.K.)
A bizarre choice for the Saturday primetime slot, but perhaps we’ll get some goals? Hertha Berlin matches have been pretty exciting this season, while Köln were very dull until that recent Hoffenheim outing. Borussia Dortmund isn’t likely to be in a relegation battle for long, so these sides would probably like to put some more cushion between themselves and the bottom three.
Hamburg vs. Werder Bremen
Sunday, 9:30 a.m. ET. TV: GolTV (U.S. and Canada), ESPN (U.K.)
Since this one is a true relegation six-pointer, it might be worth your time. It’s difficult to envision a scenario in which one of these two teams doesn’t occupy a place in the bottom three at the end of the season, though there’s certainly hope of escaping relegation for both of them. Hamburg recorded a win two games ago against Bayer Leverkusen, while Werder have won their last two in a row.
If HSV are going to snag all three points at home and pull themselves out of the drop zone, they’ll need to find goals from somewhere. Their four goals this season is far and away the worst total in the league -- they’re five behind Hannover and six behind the joint-third worst sides. And if they’re going to post a multiple goal outing sometime this season, it should probably come at home against Werder, who have the second worst defense in the league.
Stuttgart vs. Augsburg
Sunday, 11:30 a.m. ET. TV: GolTV (U.S. and Canada), BT Sport 1 (U.K.)
Bizarrely, this week’s TV games are heavy on the relegation-threatened sides. Augsburg are doign well for themselves and sit in 7th, but they’ve lost more than they’ve won and could slide down towards the bottom at any time. Stuttgart, meanwhile, are the worst team in the league and have been shut out in their last two matches.
Schedule and scores (all times ET, results will be updated as they come in)
Bayern Munich 4-0 Hoffenheim - Full match report here
Schalke 3-2 Wolfsburg - Full match report here
Borussia Mönchengladbach 1-3 Eintracht Frankfurt
Mainz 2-2 Freiburg
Hannover 1-3 Bayer Leverkusen
Paderborn 2-2 Borussia Dortmund - Marco Reus off injured
FC Köln 1-2 Hertha Berlin
Hamburg 2-0 Werder Bremen
Stuttgart 0-1 Augsburg
See More:
