Fans in Germany have been treated to one of the most open Bundesliga title races in recent seasons, with the shock leaders still in pole position. Bayern Munich will have the chance to cut the gap at the top when they host Schalke this weekend. However, Leipzig could extend their lead should Bayern slip up and they beat Eintracht Frankfurt.
Bayern Munich vs Schalke
Bayern Munich go into every season as the team to beat in the Bundesliga, but this has been a far from vintage season for the Bavarian giants. They have already lost four games this season, which is double the number of the games lost by the team at the summit of the division. They have won their last four and are certainly building momentum though, and that can continue when they host Schalke on Saturday afternoon.
They were in excellent form in their last fixture in the Bundesliga as they managed to overcome Herta Berlin with a convincing 4-0 demolition. However, they didn’t have it all their own way and had to wait until the 60th minute to take the lead. Thomas Muller put them on their way, before Robert Lewandowski, Thiago and Ivan Perisic added further goals. Hans-Dieter Flick will be aware that his prospects at the club will hinge on whether they can get back into the title race, which means this will be a huge weekend for the club.
Meanwhile, Schalke are no push-overs in the Bundesliga this season, as they have their eyes firmly fixed on a place in Europe. They have been a tough team to beat throughout the season as they have only lost on three occasions. Over their last five, they have only lost once. They have the second-best defensive record in the division, and their chances of taking anything away from the Allianz will be built on that. However, punters will be confident that the home side will get all three points as they build momentum.
Eintracht Frankfurt vs RB Leipzig
It has been a brilliant first half of the season for RB Leipzig, but they will need to sustain that form if they have hopes of winning the Bundesliga title for the very first time. Much of their chances could hinge on whether they will be able to keep hold of Timo Werner, who is attracting interest from Liverpool, Chelsea and Manchester United in this transfer window.
They improved their record to four wins out of five last time out as they beat Union Berling 3-1 at home. Marius Butler gave the visitors a shock half time lead before Leipzig turned the game on its head in the final 40 minutes. Timo Werner scored a brace in the victory, while Marcel Sabitzer also found the net. Leipzig dominated possession throughout the game and were deserved victors in the end, but Frankfurt will offer a very different threat.
Frankfurt have been struggling this season to find momentum after enjoying an excellent campaign last term. The departures of Sebastien Haller and Luka Jovic have certainly taken their toll on the club, but they will still have hopes of getting back into Europe. However, they will need to improve their form from the past five games, as they have just won once over their last five. They did bring an end to a run of three straight defeats in their last fixture, however, as they beat Hoffenheim 2-1. Bas Dost and Timothy Chandler scored the goals in the smash and grabbed a win for the visitors. It is unlikely that they will be able to match that against Leipzig, and punters will feel that the league leaders will get the win.
